Vance Charter downs Henderson Collegiate
Mar. 4—FRANKLINTON — The Vance Charter men's soccer team overcame a shaky first half to secure an easy 8-1 victory over Henderson Collegiate on Wednesday evening, improving their overall record to 4-3-1 on the year.
Vance Charter head coach Johnny Yount repeatedly asked his players to bring more energy throughout the entire first half, but he believed that the team did exactly what they needed to in the final 40 minutes to pull off the victory.
"We were a little bit asleep in the first half," Yount said. "We came back in the second half and started playing like a true team. These were probably the driest conditions we've played on all season, but the guys are finding their way."
Vance Charter junior Ryan Parker was the first to score for his team early in the first quarter, but he and his teammates struggled to find consistency on offense for the remainder of the half despite getting several good looks at the goal.
Henderson Collegiate took advantage of Vance Charter's early lack of cohesion by evening up the score at 1-1 late in the half, but another goal by Vance Charter in the closing minutes gave them the lead at the intermission.
Yount's message to his players on bringing more aggression immediately paid off in the second half, as junior Hagan Hill drilled a shot past the Henderson Collegiate defense to increase Vance Charter's advantage to two goals.
Three more quick goals from Vance Charter effectively put the game out of reach for Henderson Collegiate, who suddenly found themselves unable to move the ball up the field after having no issues on that end during the first half.
Henderson Collegiate head coach Alexis Garcia said that Wednesday's contest was a microcosm of his team's season and knows that everyone has a lot of work to do if they want to obtain a victory over their final few games.
"We're just not hustling," Garcia said. "I don't think we're ready to play. I'm not trying to make any excuses, but we need more effort."
With the victory against Henderson Collegiate, Vance Charter now holds a three-game win streak heading into the final week, but Yount believes that his team could still improve on several areas before they start postseason play.
"We've got to get better at passing the ball," Yount said. "We're trying to do everything on our own and spread the field out so we can get more people involved. The men have done a fantastic job this year with a lot of challenges and we ask that they keep rising to the occasion."
Vance Charter is back in action at 3 p.m. on Friday against 7-1 Franklin Academy, while Henderson Collegiate will try to get their first win on the same day at 4 p.m. when they face an undefeated Voyager Academy program.
