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Grain Valley, MO —
The Grain Valley girls soccer team isn’t about to shy away from the pressure.
Entering Tuesday’s Missouri River Valley Conference West Conference match against Oak Grove, the Eagles realized they were just four wins away from completing an unblemished conference season and capturing the first league crown in program history.
While some teams might downplay the significance of such a feat, the Eagles are embracing it. It was a central theme of coach Aleana Balistreri pregame message. And it preceded a convincing 5-0 win for the Eagles at Grain Valley High School.
“We definitely don’t ignore (the conference implications) before the games,” Grain Valley senior defenseman Jena Prue said. “That’s one of the main things that pumps us up. ... We’ve got to stay focused and win every game.”
Before the match, Balistreri reminded her squad that the Panthers took them to penalty kicks in their first meeting before Grain Valley prevailed, and that one slip up could potentially sideswipe what’s become the Eagles’ predominant focus. Balistreri acknowledged that some coaches might find emphasizing that pressure to be counterproductive, but she prefers the most upfront approach possible.
“I’m a very honest coach,” she said. “And I want them to know where they stand. So I kind of like to put that pressure on them. This is what we can accomplish, but these are the steps you have to take and have to achieve to get that.”
It didn’t take the Eagles (13-7, 5-0 conference) long to start taking the next step toward that goal Tuesday. Kali Carson scored on a penalty kick nine minutes into the contest for the match’s first goal. She later added an assist on Devan Fairfield’s goal in the 32nd minute.
In the 53rd minute, Nathalia Barr connected on a goal to make it 3-0 with Fairfield assisting, and Fairfield then added her second score off a Barr assist in the 71st minute. Morgan Clark provided the final score in the 76th minute with a long-range boot off a feed from Carson at the 15-yard line that angled over Oak Grove goalkeeper Sam Crawford’s hands.
Grain Valley also neutralized the Panther offense by utilizing a different defensive look. While the Eagles’ prefer to play a zone defense, Balisteri elected to man-mark Oak Grove senior Haley Hayes – who Balistreri identified as the Panthers’ most dangerous scoring threat – with freshman defenseman Sianna Aumua.
The rookie didn’t disappoint.
“Being a freshman, I think she gets nervous,” Balistreri said. “And it’s a lot of pressure for a player – nonetheless a freshman – to take on their shoulders. But she delivered. She did great.”
The Eagles’ magic number is now three with matches at Excelsior Springs and Pleasant Hill looming on Thursday and Friday before next Tuesday’s regular-season and home final against Harrisonville.
“It’s a big deal,” Carson said. “We’ve never won conference before so we’re trying to make history.”
The Grain Valley girls soccer team isn’t about to shy away from the pressure.
Entering Tuesday’s Missouri River Valley Conference West Conference match against Oak Grove, the Eagles realized they were just four wins away from completing an unblemished conference season and capturing the first league crown in program history.
While some teams might downplay the significance of such a feat, the Eagles are embracing it. It was a central theme of coach Aleana Balistreri pregame message. And it preceded a convincing 5-0 win for the Eagles at Grain Valley High School.
“We definitely don’t ignore (the conference implications) before the games,” Grain Valley senior defenseman Jena Prue said. “That’s one of the main things that pumps us up. ... We’ve got to stay focused and win every game.”
Before the match, Balistreri reminded her squad that the Panthers took them to penalty kicks in their first meeting before Grain Valley prevailed, and that one slip up could potentially sideswipe what’s become the Eagles’ predominant focus. Balistreri acknowledged that some coaches might find emphasizing that pressure to be counterproductive, but she prefers the most upfront approach possible.
“I’m a very honest coach,” she said. “And I want them to know where they stand. So I kind of like to put that pressure on them. This is what we can accomplish, but these are the steps you have to take and have to achieve to get that.”
It didn’t take the Eagles (13-7, 5-0 conference) long to start taking the next step toward that goal Tuesday. Kali Carson scored on a penalty kick nine minutes into the contest for the match’s first goal. She later added an assist on Devan Fairfield’s goal in the 32nd minute.
In the 53rd minute, Nathalia Barr connected on a goal to make it 3-0 with Fairfield assisting, and Fairfield then added her second score off a Barr assist in the 71st minute. Morgan Clark provided the final score in the 76th minute with a long-range boot off a feed from Carson at the 15-yard line that angled over Oak Grove goalkeeper Sam Crawford’s hands.
Grain Valley also neutralized the Panther offense by utilizing a different defensive look. While the Eagles’ prefer to play a zone defense, Balisteri elected to man-mark Oak Grove senior Haley Hayes – who Balistreri identified as the Panthers’ most dangerous scoring threat – with freshman defenseman Sianna Aumua.
The rookie didn’t disappoint.
“Being a freshman, I think she gets nervous,” Balistreri said. “And it’s a lot of pressure for a player – nonetheless a freshman – to take on their shoulders. But she delivered. She did great.”
The Eagles’ magic number is now three with matches at Excelsior Springs and Pleasant Hill looming on Thursday and Friday before next Tuesday’s regular-season and home final against Harrisonville.
“It’s a big deal,” Carson said. “We’ve never won conference before so we’re trying to make history.”
