GIRLS' SOCCER: Goldsboro pounds North Lenoir

By Justin Hayes
Published in Sports on March 28, 2017 9:57 AM

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jhayes@newsargus.com

Synchronicity.

That was the rally cry yesterday for the Goldsboro High varsity girls' soccer outfit, who used an extra film session to sharpen its attack and stir up a dominant-in-all-phases, 7-0 conquest of Eastern Carolina 2-A Conference foe North Lenior at Cougar Stadium.

The whitewashing -- which featured five goals in the first 11 minutes -- moved the Lady Cougars to 8-1-3 overall, and 1-0 in matters of league significance.

Goldsboro began its assault by winning successive 50/50 scramble efforts against an overmatched North Lenior back line, getting goals from Nana Davis at the two-minute mark and a follow-up blast by sophomore Sierra Stephens just 120 seconds later.

With that, the rout was on.

The Lady Cougars formed attacks from shape and on the fly, played shots over the top of a disorganized North Lenoir defense and maintained an active, roaming presence everywhere else.

In short, they were relentless.

"That was the most dominant half we've ever had," noted GHS coach Chad Lewis. "We held position and played passes... we watched film before the game, and that helped -- it was like a light bulb came on."

Indeed.

Stephens made matters 3-0 in the fifth minute, and was followed in short order by classmate Shakia Doctor, who collected her eighth goal of the season two minutes later on a rip by North Lenoir keeper Mary George King.

The improbable start continued in the 11th minute, when Tziah Kelly turned a Hannah Williamson corner-kick into a header that found the back of the net and made the score 5-0.

Sophomore Rylie Hales then closed the bonanza in style, slipping a 35th-minute free kick over the outstretched gloves of King and just underneath the crossbar -- a fitting end to a stanza where the hosts could simply do no wrong.

At the break, Goldsboro led 6-0.

The second period offered more of the same, with the Lady Cougars scoring just a minute into the action on a nifty speed burst by Doctor.

What developed from there until the final buzzer was a qualified war of attrition, with Goldsboro juggling its lineup in search of a mercy-rule goal and North Lenoir clinging to each minute on the pitch.

Alas, a 7-0 final.

Goldsboro's volume-scoring act next plays host to league rival Kinston on Thursday. North Lenoir (1-5 overall, 0-1) continues play versus non-conference foe Washington on April 3.