MONROE - In soccer, the spacing of players sometimes is more important in scoring goals than a lucky bounce off a cross.
Monroe's girls team delivered a barrage of crosses and cashed in with a 4-0 win Friday at Honey Creek Park over Cambridge.
Monroe coach Miriam O'Neill stressed that the forwards had to stay inside and shoot the gaps on balls through the box. Monroe freshman Chelsea Haffele took her coach's halftime speech to heart and scored two second-half goals to lead the Cheesemakers.
"She pointed out that we need to stay in the middle," Haffele said. "I just stayed in the middle and they sent them (balls) through and I was just there to finish them."
O'Neill noticed a big difference in the second half.
"I think they fired it up a little and got to the ball quicker," O'Neill said. "They really had better shape and were keeping better possession."
Monroe (3-2-2, 0-2-1 Badger South) has won three straight games. The Cheesemakers had three shots on goal in the first three minutes. Monroe senior Erin Solawetz staked the Cheesemakers to a 1-0 lead with a long shot at the edge of the box that sailed into the back of the net.
Monroe sophomore Abbey Schneider hooked in a shot to the far post for a goal at 21 minutes, 20 seconds that gave the Cheesemakers a 2-0 lead.
The Cheesemakers stayed on the attack in the second half. Monroe senior Pam Lehman fed a pass to Haffele, who scored a goal at 48:07 to give the Cheesemakers a 3-0 lead.
About two minutes later, Haffele scored her second goal on an assist from Kylee Ritschard to seal the victory.
"Chelsea has played really tough every game," O'Neill said. "She probably is a little frustrated because she wants to score more goals. In the second half today, it came together for her. We have speed with our forwards and they can beat the defenders."
The Cheesemakers' defense was dominant and limited the Blue Jays to two shots. Monroe senior goalkeeper Niamh O'Neill-Culhane recorded her second shutout this week.
"Our defense is really good at communicating," O'Neill said. "If you can get your defense to talk from the back, it helps your game so much."
Monroe's girls team delivered a barrage of crosses and cashed in with a 4-0 win Friday at Honey Creek Park over Cambridge.
Monroe coach Miriam O'Neill stressed that the forwards had to stay inside and shoot the gaps on balls through the box. Monroe freshman Chelsea Haffele took her coach's halftime speech to heart and scored two second-half goals to lead the Cheesemakers.
"She pointed out that we need to stay in the middle," Haffele said. "I just stayed in the middle and they sent them (balls) through and I was just there to finish them."
O'Neill noticed a big difference in the second half.
"I think they fired it up a little and got to the ball quicker," O'Neill said. "They really had better shape and were keeping better possession."
Monroe (3-2-2, 0-2-1 Badger South) has won three straight games. The Cheesemakers had three shots on goal in the first three minutes. Monroe senior Erin Solawetz staked the Cheesemakers to a 1-0 lead with a long shot at the edge of the box that sailed into the back of the net.
Monroe sophomore Abbey Schneider hooked in a shot to the far post for a goal at 21 minutes, 20 seconds that gave the Cheesemakers a 2-0 lead.
The Cheesemakers stayed on the attack in the second half. Monroe senior Pam Lehman fed a pass to Haffele, who scored a goal at 48:07 to give the Cheesemakers a 3-0 lead.
About two minutes later, Haffele scored her second goal on an assist from Kylee Ritschard to seal the victory.
"Chelsea has played really tough every game," O'Neill said. "She probably is a little frustrated because she wants to score more goals. In the second half today, it came together for her. We have speed with our forwards and they can beat the defenders."
The Cheesemakers' defense was dominant and limited the Blue Jays to two shots. Monroe senior goalkeeper Niamh O'Neill-Culhane recorded her second shutout this week.
"Our defense is really good at communicating," O'Neill said. "If you can get your defense to talk from the back, it helps your game so much."
