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Truman girls soccer coach Jared Byrne couldn’t fault his players for lack of effort in Friday night’s 5-1 season-ending loss to Park Hill South.
“Everybody put the energy out (that) we needed to ... be in the game,” Byrne said. “We made a few simple mistakes.”
No. 3-seeded Truman’s effort in the Class 3 District 15 title game at South capped a run of performances over “a week or so” that impressed Byrne, the climax being Truman’s 1-0 district semifinal win over Fort Osage.
“We kind of hit a good stride there at the end,” he said.
The Patriots’ recent run of pleasing performances capped a season Byrne considered “kind of inconsistent.” Patriots sophomore forward Amber Young, Truman’s lone scorer Friday, expressed a similar view.
“We had a rough season, but we had some really good games,” Young said.
But for top-seeded South, Friday’s performance was another step forward in the progression Panthers coach Joe Toigo has seen from his team this season. It also ended a string of second-place district finishes.
“Our (three) seniors, they get to have one before they leave,” Toigo said. “That’s really cool.”
However, it was a sophomore and a junior that got South’s attack going – and thus helped give those seniors a postseason title. In the 10th minute, sophomore midfielder Courtney Claassen scored the first of her three goals. Junior midfielder Katie Riojas scored in the 21st minute. South led 2-0 at halftime.
Young cut South’s lead to 2-1 by lining a shot to the near post in the 43rd minute. It was Truman’s only shot on goal.
Toigo called it a “great goal.”
“We got a little dispossessed there, and she took the space and ripped it (into the) upper 90,” he said.
According to Young, the goal resulted from good passes between senior midfielder Amy Soto and herself.
“They (South’s defenders) didn’t really keep up,” Young said. “We just were working together and got a goal.”
Young’s goal was in keeping with Truman’s strategy for keeping it close.
“We were trying to kind of play more defensive, trying to deny their opportunities, so we could be in the game as long as possible – and then create a few counterattack opportunities,” Byrne said. “We had a great one (in the) second half. Great shot by Amber, and we’re right back in the game.”
The Panthers took the Patriots out of it by scoring three goals in 18 minutes. Claassen lined in a shot in the 50th minute. In the 66th minute, Abbey Johnson lined up square with the goal for her finishing shot. Claassen finished a pass sent by Riojas into Truman’s 18-yard box in the 68th minute as the exclamation point on South’s title run.
Truman finished the season 12-15.
Truman girls soccer coach Jared Byrne couldn’t fault his players for lack of effort in Friday night’s 5-1 season-ending loss to Park Hill South.
“Everybody put the energy out (that) we needed to ... be in the game,” Byrne said. “We made a few simple mistakes.”
No. 3-seeded Truman’s effort in the Class 3 District 15 title game at South capped a run of performances over “a week or so” that impressed Byrne, the climax being Truman’s 1-0 district semifinal win over Fort Osage.
“We kind of hit a good stride there at the end,” he said.
The Patriots’ recent run of pleasing performances capped a season Byrne considered “kind of inconsistent.” Patriots sophomore forward Amber Young, Truman’s lone scorer Friday, expressed a similar view.
“We had a rough season, but we had some really good games,” Young said.
But for top-seeded South, Friday’s performance was another step forward in the progression Panthers coach Joe Toigo has seen from his team this season. It also ended a string of second-place district finishes.
“Our (three) seniors, they get to have one before they leave,” Toigo said. “That’s really cool.”
However, it was a sophomore and a junior that got South’s attack going – and thus helped give those seniors a postseason title. In the 10th minute, sophomore midfielder Courtney Claassen scored the first of her three goals. Junior midfielder Katie Riojas scored in the 21st minute. South led 2-0 at halftime.
Young cut South’s lead to 2-1 by lining a shot to the near post in the 43rd minute. It was Truman’s only shot on goal.
Toigo called it a “great goal.”
“We got a little dispossessed there, and she took the space and ripped it (into the) upper 90,” he said.
According to Young, the goal resulted from good passes between senior midfielder Amy Soto and herself.
“They (South’s defenders) didn’t really keep up,” Young said. “We just were working together and got a goal.”
Young’s goal was in keeping with Truman’s strategy for keeping it close.
“We were trying to kind of play more defensive, trying to deny their opportunities, so we could be in the game as long as possible – and then create a few counterattack opportunities,” Byrne said. “We had a great one (in the) second half. Great shot by Amber, and we’re right back in the game.”
The Panthers took the Patriots out of it by scoring three goals in 18 minutes. Claassen lined in a shot in the 50th minute. In the 66th minute, Abbey Johnson lined up square with the goal for her finishing shot. Claassen finished a pass sent by Riojas into Truman’s 18-yard box in the 68th minute as the exclamation point on South’s title run.
Truman finished the season 12-15.
