The Sugar River Raiders are off to a 3-0 start in Capitol Conference girls soccer following a 7-1 win over the Lakeside Lutheran Warriors on April 10 at Lakeside Lutheran. The Raiders took a 4-0 lead in the first half with senior Anya Brenkman playing a role in three of the first four goals.  Brenkman took a pass from senior Kylie Humke and scored at 4:03 to give the Raiders a 1-0 lead. Brenkman scored again on an assist from senior Hannah Boldebuck at 9:50 to put Sugar River up 2-0. The Raiders increased the lead to 3-0 at 10:30 in the first half as Boldebuck scored on an assist from Brenkman. Boldebuck got an unassisted goal at 36:46 to give the Raiders a 4-0 halftime lead. 

The Raiders took command in the second half as Brenkman got her third goal on a pass from junior Ella Woodmansee at 44:50 to make it 5-0 in favor of Sugar River. After the Warriors got a goal at 49:57, sophomore Nikole Schultz put a pass from Cora Funseth into the net at 63:03 to give the Raiders a 6-1 lead. The Raiders scored again with just seconds remaining as Brenkman assisted on junior Kennedi Esser’s goal to make the final 7-1.

Goaltenders Mackenzie Ohms and Savanna Minter combined for five saves for the Raiders, who are ranked 10th in Division 3. 

On April 12, Sugar River hosted their 20th annual Raider Invite and won the tournament with a pair of wins. The Raiders defeated Platteville-Lancaster 6-1 and Monona Grove 3-2 on the new turf field in New Glarus. Sugar River led 2-0 at halftime and outscored their opponents 4-1 in the second half. Anya Brenkman netted a hat trick five total points (3G, 2A), while Boldebuck had two goals and an assist and Taya Gilbertson scored a goal. Mackenzie Ohms made six saves in goal.

In the championship game of the tournament, the Raiders beat Monona Grove 3-2. The Silver Eagles scored early to take a 1-0 lead. Brenkman got the equalizer at 17:01 with an assist from junior Kennedi Esser. Brenkman scored again at 24:30 thanks to an assist by junior Toria DeVoe to put Sugar River on top 2-1. Monona Grove tied it at 2-2 with a goal at 27:30, but, with less than five minutes left, Brenkman put her third goal into the net on Gilbertson’s assist at 65:35 to give the Raiders the lead and the win. Ohms came through with 12 saves.

Brenkman now leads the state in total points (38) and goals scored (17). She has had a hat trick (three or more goals) in all five games so far this season. She has 123 career goals as of April 12, just eight behind the program record of 131 set by Hannah Kernen.

The Raiders (5-0) hosted unbeaten Lake Mills on April 15.

In other area soccer action, Monroe dropped a pair of games last week. On April 8, Platteville-Lancaster blanked the Cheesemakers 10-0, while Reedsburg won 9-0 on April 11.