HOT SPRINGS – As the final whistle blew Wednesday night at Bath County High School, a different kind of cheer went up from two little Charger fans.
“Yay! We get to eat!”
In what may be the start of a tradition, Bath County girls soccer coach Juan Rocha took his wife and kids to dinner to celebrate his team’s 8-0, goal shortened district opening win over the Parry McCluer Fighting Blues.
“Everybody played excellently today,” he said.
That excellent play began with Bath’s Angela Herscher earning a hat trick in the opening half’s first 12 minutes to kick the Chargers to a 3-0 lead.
It was the beginning of a long night for Parry McCluer goalie Carmen Cullen. Her teammates began stacking the goalie box and focusing their defense efforts on Herscher, but it barely even slowed the Charger offense down.
Bath County junior Mary McCoy found the back of the net in the 14th minute, followed shortly by senior Carrington Pasco in the 15th minute to put the Chargers up 5-0.
Herscher would add the last of her four goals in the 34th minute and freshman Kara Kincaid kicked one past Cullen inside the 38th minute to put Bath up 7-0 going in to the break.
Parry McCluer’s lone offensive opportunity in the first half was stonewalled by an impressive fingertip save by junior goalie Alexa Faraone in the 33rd minute.
“We’ve only allowed two goals in three games,” said Rocha. “We’re playing great defense.”
Monja Robertson opened up the second half for Bath in the 43rd minute with a shot that bounced off the inside of the goal post and bounced along the plane of the goal until Cullen scooped it to safety.
The ball stayed in Parry McCluer territory for the majority of the game, but the Fighting Blues had two late scoring opportunities.
The Charger defense, anchored by sophomore goalie Samatha Wood, was more than up to the challenge.
Both attempts were blocked and Pasco took the ball coast to coast before dishing to Faroane for the eighth and final goal of the game in the 58th minute that slipped through the fingers and between the feet of Cullen.
“We keep getting better,” said Rocha, whose team is now 3-0 on the young season and 1-0 in the Pioneer. “We’re going to keep practicing and keep improving.”
The Chargers will be back in action Monday at Rockingham.
But before that, Rocha had to find the answer to a more pressing question.
“Where do you want to eat?” he asked.
“Cucci’s!” came the enthusiastic reply.
Victory rarely tastes so good.
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