South Range uses Lindstrom’s hat trick to avenge early loss against Hubbard

South Range uses Lindstrom’s hat trick

to avenge early loss against Hubbard

By BRIAN DZENIS

bdzenis @vindy.com

North Lima

In ways big and small, Casey Lindstrom has Hubbard beat.

The South Range junior midfielder had all three of her team’s goals in a 3-2 victory over the Eagles in a Division II sectional opener. The win avenges a season-opening 2-1 defeat at the hands of the Eagles on Aug. 24.

“I think we finished the opportunities we were given better this time and we just had more experience over the whole season to work for this moment,” Lindstrom said. “I think we’re better at stepping to the ball and pressuring them.”

Even more impressive than her hat trick are her season numbers. Her 37 goals are two more than the entire Hubbard roster scored this season.

“It was difficult, she had 29 goals last year and we graduated eight seniors, so we have good and talented girls, but no experience, so she’s had to shoulder more of the load,” South Range coach Paul Lindstrom said of Casey’s production. “It’s been a nice surprise for me.”

Given her scoring proficiency all season, it was fitting that she put the Raiders ahead in the final 15 minutes of the first half. With her back to the goal and the defender on her during a free kick, Lindstrom was able to gain control of the ball, turn and get a shot off. Hubbard goalie Lea Munnell was able to get a hand on it, but it wasn’t enough to keep the ball out of the net.

South Range goalie Morgan Smith let that lead stand until halftime thanks to some timely saves. A minute after Lindstrom’s goal, she stopped Marissa Grande on a breakaway and when the Raiders conceded a penalty shot in the final two minutes before the break, Smith stuffed Emma Wukulich’s penalty shot.

“She’s our new goalkeeper this year — she comes from a basketball and softball background and less of a soccer background,” Paul Lindstrom said. “Her strength is handling the far balls and long shots, where she’s a fielder.”

Grande had been lurking in the Raiders’ penalty area with nothing to show for the first half. She managed to get to a through ball past the defense and beat Smith on the short side to tie things up. Two minutes later, Lindstrom broke through the middle of the defense and struck a ball that Munnell again managed to deflect, but she couldn’t keep the ball out of the net.

All told, it was a frustrating night for Hubbard, which couldn’t get the win despite outshooting South Range 16-9 and having more time with the ball.

“One person can’t always beat you, it’s a team and you play hard and sometimes you’re lucky and sometimes you’re not,” Hubbard coach Scott MacMillan said.

“Statistically you’ll see our team outshot and outpossessed [South Range], but if you break down a couple times, a good player will beat you, so today was our day, it has to end some time and today was our day.”

Grande found the net again in the final four minutes of the contest after kicking a rebound past Smith, but as Casey Lindstrom showed the whole game, she just has a knack for getting the ball in the right spot to score. Less than a minute after Grande got her second goal, Nina Tudor’s shot bounced off Munnell and right into the Raiders’ leading scorer’s path, and she did as she’s done 36 other times this year.

South Range moves on to faced West Branch in a sectional final Thursday in Beloit.