Valley Sports ReportTIOGA CENTER — Junior Sophia Haney and 8th-grader Grace Howey combined for nine goals to lead Tioga to a season-opening 11-2 win over Marathon here Tuesday afternoon in IAC girls soccer action.
Senior Erica Bradley had one goal, and three assists for the Tigers, and 8th-grader Natalie Kemp had one goal, and two assists.
“Our composure tonight was on point,” said first-year Tioga coach Emily Potter. “The girls were confident, strong and able to move the ball around well.
“We used the entire field and executed very nicely,” she noted. “I think after tonight they see they are capable, which is a great way to start the season and, hopefully, set the tone.
“We’ve been on the other side of a win like this,” added Potter. “We know the hurt, but in the end, we’ve worked hard to be where we are at today. The girls played like a team, and that’s the key.”
Haney scored the game’s first goal about 2 1/2 minutes into the contest on a penalty kick.
It took nearly 17 minutes for the Tigers to light up the scoreboard again as Howey, off a feed from Haney, connected from 20 yards out to make it 2-0.
Haney scored the next two goals — off feeds from Bradley and Howey — 32 seconds apart to give the Tigers a 4-0 lead with 16:01 remaining in the first half.
Howey wrapped up the first-half scoring with 3:21 remaining to give Tioga a 5-0 lead at the intermission.
Howey also scored Tioga’s first two goals of the second half about 90 seconds apart to make it 7-1 with 32:46 remaining in the contest.
Haney scored a pair of goals, sandwiched around a tally by Kemp — her first varsity goal — to make it 10-1 with 3:59 remaining.
Bradley finished off the scoring in the closing moments of the game to make it 11-2.
TIoga had an 18-10 advantage in shots-on-goal, and a 6-0 edge in corner kicks.
Senior Taliah Speer recorded seven saves in net for the Tigers.
Tioga returns to action Friday at Southern Cayuga.
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IN PHOTO 1: Tioga’s Grace Howey. … IN TOP PHOTO: Tioga’s Sophia Haney. … PHOTOS COURTESY OF AMANDA BAILEY.
