RUSSELLVILLE — Now it’s 4-0.
After reaching 3-0 in conference play for the first time ever, the Bryant Lady Hornets improved to 4-0 with a 4-0 win over The Russellville Lady Cyclones on Tuesday night.
Shelby Gartrell, Bailey Gartrell, Morgan Hawkins and Lexie Balisterri each had goals. Katie Moore had two assists and Hawkins another for Bryant, now 10-2 on the season, going into a showdown with the Conway Lady Wampus Cats on the road this Friday.
It was the team’s eighth shutout on the season and second in a row. The Lady Hornets have now out-scored their 12 opponents 28-5. They’ve allowed more than one goal in just one game this season, against the afore mentioned Lady Wampus Cats in the Northwest Arkansas Invitational Tournament on March 10. By the way, that was their last loss. They’ve won six in a row since.
“The girls played well and continued to play even after scoring,” noted Lady Hornets head coach Julie Long. “We still have a lot to work on and we will continue to work on the breakdowns that we have. Friday’s a big game and we only have two days to prepare.”
Tuesday’s match was scoreless at the half.
“We had a few letdowns in the game and had a few close calls,” Long related. “First half, we played well and took seven shots on goal and couldn’t get any of them to fall. The second half, we came out fighting and the girls worked hard.”
About 15 minutes into the second stanza, the Lady Hornets found the range.
“On a pass from Katie Moore to Lexie, who one-touched it and put it in the back of the net,” Long recounted.
It stayed 1-0 until about 15 minutes were left and Bryant scored three times in a flurry. First, the Gartrells teamed up but Shelby’s shot was deflected. Hawkins, however, was there to finish, making it 2-0.
Five minutes later, Moore fed Shelby Gartrell for the third goal. The fourth came in the final minute when Hawkins played a ball to Bailey Gartrell, who took it down and scored.
