It wasn't the prettiest win. But it was a win.
Reese Hamilton scored three goals Monday night to lead Helias Lady Crusaders in a 5-4 victory against the Battle Spartans at the Helias Athletic Complex.
"I think this really was a win for Battle and maybe a step backward for us," Helias coach Jay Hebenheimer said.
Hebenheimer was happy with the Helias offense. Well, mostly happy.
"We had girls in position to finish, we just weren't able to get goals on all of our chances," he said. "We should have had more goals."
It was the defense that had him a little perplexed after the game.
"We're struggling at the back, and we're struggling with speed," Hebenheimer said. "We're just not quick back there and a team like Battle that has players that are fast on the attack can give us trouble."
Battle senior Shelby Atherton gave Helias fits much of the night, using her speed to full advantage to find gaps in the Lady Crusaders' defense.
"She's a dynamic player," Hebenheimer said.
Helias keeper Ally Webb made a handful of good saves to help insure the Lady Crusaders' victory. A key one came midway through the second half when she got enough of the ball on a dive to direct it away from the corner of the net on a shot by Atherton.
"She got her fingertips on it to knock it away," Hebenheimer said.
That turned out to be big because on Helias' ensuing trip down the field, Hamilton got her third goal of the game off an assist by Hannah Loethen to make it 5-3.
It's the second straight game Helias has had a player record a hat trick. Loethen accomplished the feat Saturday in a 6-1 victory against Camdenton.
"When the attack is going like it should, it can be any number of girls that can score for us," Hebenheimer said,
Madeline Schrader of Battle scored with about seven minutes remaining to cut Helias' lead to 5-4.
Hamilton gave the Lady Crusaders the lead with a goal about five minutes into the contest. After Atherton tied the contest midway through the half, the Lady Crusaders scored three times in an 11-minute span to take the lead for good.
Hamilton had the first of the trio, before Loethen headed in a cross from Olivia Farrow to make it 3-1. Maya Heckert then converted on a bomb of a shot from outside the top of the box to make it 4-1 with a little more than two minutes left in the half.
Schrader pulled Battle to within two goals with a score with about a minute to go before intermission. Atherton got her second goal of the night about four minutes into the second half to cut Helias' lead to 4-3.
"There are times we just need to be more aggressive and physical," Hebenheimer said.
Helias (3-2) is back in action Wednesday night against Rock Bridge at the Crusader Athletic Complex. The JV game will start at 5 p.m., with the varsity contest to begin around 6:45 p.m.
"That will be another good measuring stick for us," Hebenheimer said.
Helias won Monday's JV game, shortened to just 35 minutes, by a score of 6-0. Michalee Sipi had four goals for the Lady Crusaders (2-2), while Alisha Berhorst and Emily Zeer had one each.