The bottom line shows it was a very good two days for the Helias Lady Crusaders.
Reese Hamilton scored two goals Saturday afternoon to lead Helias to a 3-2 victory against Neosho in the Helias Soccer Shootout at the Crusader Athletic Complex as the Lady Crusaders went 2-0 in the event.
"It was a positive weekend for us," Helias coach Jay Hebenheimer said. "With all of our injuries and the shuffling around between positions that we're having to do because of that, it was a success."
Helias got on the board about 16 minutes before halftime when Hannah Loethen scored off an assist from Michalee Sipi.
It was Loethen's second goal in the Shootout.
"Hannah gives you everything, every game," Hebenheimer said.
Hamilton then made it 2-0 about three minutes later, assisted by Lainy Lamb, and the Lady Crusaders took a 2-0 advantage into halftime.
Helias finished with a 9-1 edge in total shots in the first half.
At intermission, Kaitlyn Buker came on to replace Nappier in goal for the Lady Crusaders. It was the first action of the season for Buker, who was slated to be Helias' starting keeper before being injured.
"I just wanted to get her in to knock some of the rust off," Hebenheimer said. "We knew it wouldn't be pretty, but she needs to get back up to speed and that's going to take some time and we got that process started."
Neosho cut the deficit in half a little more than 10 minutes into the second half when Brooklyn Hughes scored on a breakaway.
"Neosho turned it into a battle," Hebenheimer said.
Hamilton got Helias what turned out to be a needed insurance goal with about 23 minutes left to play, assisted by Bailey Henson.
"Reese is playing well," Hebenheimer said. "She's put in a lot of work in the offseason and it's showing."
Neosho made it 3-2 with a goal from Abby Jarvis with less than a minute remaining.
"The goals came against a couple of our subs back there on the defense," Hebenheimer said. "We never want to give up goals, but some of our girls back there are pretty inexperienced and they needed to get some varsity time."
The Lady Crusaders defeated Borgia 2-1 on Friday night to start the Shootout.
Helias (7-3-1), one spot out of the Class 3 state rankings by the Missouri Soccer Coaches Association that came out Friday, is back in action Monday night at home against Union. Union, No. 4 in Class 3, also went 2-0 in the Shootout with wins against Notre Dame de Sion (1-0) and Waynesville (7-0)
"That is going to be a great challenge for us," Hebenheimer said.
The JV game, which will be just one half, will start at 5 p.m., followed by the varsity contest around 6 p.m.