GLEN CARBON – The Alton Marquette Catholic High School girls soccer team (13-4-3) defeated conference rivals, Father McGivney Catholic, by a score of 3-0 Monday afternoon.
With the loss, the Griffins fall to 11-7-1. Head coach Matthew McVicar gave all credit to Marquette saying that they are a great team and that they set the bar for the conference.
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On an overcast and rainy day, the Explorers picked up their fifth straight win. In that stretch, they have only allowed one goal outscoring their opposition 32-1.
“I thought our backline did really well today managing the game,” Marquette head coach Brian Hoener said postgame.
“It all starts with controlling the ball in the back and building out of it and I thought our backline did a really good job of that portion of the game in addition to not giving them too many chances,” Hoener added.
Rain wasn’t heavy, but it continuously sprinkled throughout the entire first half and made the 60-degree day feel a lot cooler. The conditions didn’t slow down the red hot Explorers though.
Junior forward Caroline Stephan broke the tie early on in the first half to make it 1-0. It was her fifth goal of the season.
Shortly after came a great effort from the captain. Senior midfielder Jillian Nelson scored her ninth of the season after her strike from about 25 yards found the back of the net and doubled the Explorers’ lead.
2-0 is how the half would end.
The rain stopped and the sun even tried to poke through the clouds to kick off the second half.
McGivney gave it all they had, but Marquette was not going to be denied. For good measure freshman forward Ella Anselm made it 3-0 midway through the second half. It was her 23rd goal of the season, which leads her team and ranks in the top 20 in the STL region.
Coach Hoener was pleased about the three different goal scorers, saying that it is important heading toward the postseason.
“If it’s one dimensional, it’s too easy to shut down at times. To get contribution and have three different people find the back of the net is a good recipe for success,” Hoener said.
Picking up Marquette’s ninth shutout this season was junior goalkeeper Hannah Marshall.
This was the first of a three-game week for the Explorers, and it doesn’t get much easier.
“Three games in three days isn’t ideal, especially when you have two big opponents waiting for you,” Hoener said.
Those two big opponents are Granite City (4-6-4), a much better team than their record shows, and Belleville East (9-7-3) who are coming off of a couple 1-1 ties.
That game against Granite City is this evening (May 3) at 6:30 p.m. from Gordon Moore Park.
As for the Griffins, their next game will also be today. They’ll take on Gillespie (2-8-1) at home at 4:30 p.m.
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