Jefferson City falls to Hickman 3-1 in girls soccer action

Jefferson City's Stasha Deters throws the ball in to Lady Jays teammate Katie Mullen during the first half of Tuesday night's match against the Hickman Kewpies at Jefferson City High School. (Tom Rackers/News Tribune)
Jefferson City's Stasha Deters throws the ball in to Lady Jays teammate Katie Mullen during the first half of Tuesday night's match against the Hickman Kewpies at Jefferson City High School. (Tom Rackers/News Tribune)

It was an early blow that was going to be difficult for the Jefferson City Lady Jays to recover from.

The Hickman Kewpies scored less than three minutes into Tuesday night’s game on their way to a 3-1 victory against the Lady Jays in Central Missouri Activities Conference action at Jefferson City High School.

“It’s always going to be tough when something like that happens,” Jefferson City coach Scott Blake said. “When you’re chasing the game, it puts you in a difficult position.”

Lucy Elfrink tallied the goal for the Kewpies, lining a shot into the lower opposite corner of the net.

“Hickman is a team that always likes to put pressure on you,” Blake said. “They are willing to concede a little bit in the back to get something in the front.”

That was all of the scoring in the first half. Hickman finished with 11 total shots in the first half, including six on goal, while Jefferson City did not manage a shot.

“We were getting it forward, but it wasn’t the right ball all the time,” Blake said.

Hickman made it 2-0 with a little less than 25 minutes remaining in the contest. The Kewpies were pressuring in front of the Lady Jays’ net when Hattie Hayes knocked a rebound off the bottom of the crossbar into the net.

Down two goals, Jefferson City switched its shape to a 4-2-4 in an attempt to become more offensive.

But the Kewpies were able to take advantage of the more open midfield with a little more than six minutes remaining when Allison Hall fed Elfrink inside the top of the box. Elfrink then tallied her second goal of the night to make it 3-0.

“We got beat on plays like that tonight, the combinations in the middle of the park,” Blake said. “But the shape we were playing at that point didn’t do us any favors. There comes a time when you’re down 2-0, you have to try to make things happen.”

Jefferson City got on the board with 1:41 remaining on a goal by Izzy Schmidt, who scored on a sharp shot around the edge of the box.

“Putting players in high positions, if you can get the ball through them, the profit is there,” Blake said. “We had to find a way to score.

“It was good for her and good for us as a team. It shows there is a reward for the efforts to try to get back in the game. “It’s a pride thing to say we didn’t get shut out.”

Jefferson City keeper Riley McKee made nine saves, including stopping a breakaway in the first half and knocking away a point-blank attempt in front of the net after one of Hickman six corner kicks in the second half.

“She can make five, six, seven, eight saves a game for us,” Blake said. “But we ask her to make more than that, it’s unfair.”

Hickman (4-6 overall, 1-0 CMAC) will host Capital City on Friday.

Jefferson City (5-5-1, 0-3 CMAC) is back in action today at home against Sedalia Sacred Heart. The varsity-only contest will begin at 5:30 p.m.

In Tuesday night’s JV game, Jefferson City blanked Hickman 4-0.