Own Goal Leads To A Loss For The Little Hawks

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Olivia Baird, Reporter

Tuesday, April 18th, Cedar Rapids Washington hosted City High’s women’s soccer team while the City High men’s soccer team hosted the Washington men. The women’s match was played at Kingston Stadium. Washington’s record this season was 2-2 before facing City High. The record of the City High women’s team was 4-1.

At kickoff, the sun was beginning to set and City put up a fight against their opponents who had a lot of energy on the ball. Within the first 20 minutes of the game, Washington’s team captain, Hallie Cooper ’17, received a yellow card for mouthing off the referee. She was sent off the field immediately as per the rules (when a player receives a yellow card, they are required to wait 5 consecutive minutes until they are allowed to return to the game).

By halftime, neither team had scored. There were a few shots on goal from each team but none were very dangerous to the goalkeepers.

Kickoff of the second half was City’s. Even though they started with the ball, they lost the rhythm quickly. The only goal from either team scored was in the second half. City High’s center back, Grace Brown ’17 passed the ball back to City High’s goalie, Naomi Meurice ’19 and the ball just barely touched the bottom of Meurice’s cleats and kept rolling. Even with the incredible effort Meurice made to save the ball, it continued into the back of the goal. Washington was now up 1-0. City High, with 30 minutes left in the second half, tried to create opportunities in front of Washington’s goal keeper, but were not able to score. Brown took a direct kick about 20 yards from goal and Washington’s goalie just barely got a hand on the ball, causing it to bounce off the cross bar.

The final score was 0-1 and City High would go home with a loss. The City women’s team prepare to face their Iowa City rival West High on Friday, April 21st. The women’s game’s kickoff is at 5:00 PM on the University of Iowa soccer field.