The Noblesville girls soccer team won an all-county and Hoosier Crossroads Conference game Wednesday, beating Fishers 5-2 at the Tigers’ field.
The Class 3A No. 2 Millers got the first goal, with Sydney Anderson scoring in the fifth minute. Ellen Stump answered for 3A No. 9 Fishers in the 11th minute to tie the game, but Keely Hoopingarner’s goal in the 28th minute gave Noblesville a 2-1 lead, which held at halftime.
Hoopingarner scored again four minutes into the second half, then assisted Cecilia Goad’s goal in the 62nd minute to put Noblesville up 4-1. The Tigers scored again off a corner kick in the 70th minute, then Goad put in her second goal of the game with under a minute to go.
“We’re getting better and it’s good to be tested against a team as good as Fishers, but again, they’re going to be better six weeks from now and so will we come sectional time,” said Millers coach Mike Brady. “So this result won’t carry over when we get into sectional.”
Noblesville is now 2-0 in the HCC and 4-0-1 overall.
“Any win in this conference is a good one because this conference is the toughest in the state,” said Brady.
Hamilton Southeastern, ranked No. 1 in 3A, cruised past 3A No. 14 Avon 7-1 to improve its HCC record to 3-0 and 5-0-1 overall.
The Royals scored three goals in the first 10 minutes of the game. Bri Staus scored the first one on a free kick, Claire Wilkinson put the second goal in, then Olivia Smith scored on a free kick.
Layla Brown moved HSE ahead 4-0 at the 20-minute mark. The Orioles scored before halftime on a rebound shot after a free kick.
In the second half, Ava Keaffaber scored twice, with Brown and Wilkinson assisting. Molly Harris got Southeastern’s final goal, putting in another free kick.
“The defense was strong and really controlled every attack that came their way,” said Royals coach Greg Davidson. “Another solid conference win.”
Westfield joined the list of county schools with a conference win on Wednesday, beating 3A No. 19 Zionsville 1-0 at the Shamrocks’ field.
Senior Cassandra Melnick converted a penalty kick to get Westfield on the board, and the lead would hold for the Shamrocks. Westfield is now 2-0 in HCC play and 3-4 overall.
Carmel, ranked No. 4 in Class 3A, beat Pike 3-0 to win a Metropolitan Conference game.
The Greyhounds got two quick goals in the first eight minutes of the game, with Aaliyah Thompson scoring off a corner kick from Morgan Parker, then Jessica Greven headed in a goal off a cross by Riley Pennington.
Emily Speidel put Carmel’s third goal in during the 72nd minute, a header off a corner kick by Kelsie James. Abby Lee had one save.
“Pike is much improved over last year and played well tonight,” said Greyhounds coach Frank Dixon, whose team is now 3-1-1. “We worked on a few things to help us improve our chances to score and I believe we were successful. Whether those adjustments will help us score this weekend against defending state champion Penn and Notre Dame Academy (OH) is the big question.”
Carmel will join Noblesville and Southeastern at the Zionsville Invitational this weekend.
“We always look forward to competing against some great competition in the Zionsville Lady Eagles Invitational,” said Dixon. “This weekend’s event should be a great measure of where we are as a team.”
Noblesville’s Emma Potter (left) and Fishers’ Nicole Rueff battle for control of the ball during the Millers-Tigers girls soccer game Wednesday at Fishers. Noblesville won 5-2 to go up 2-0 in Hoosier Crossroads Conference play. (Kent Graham)
Westfield’s Cassandra Melnick made a penalty kick that sent the Shamrocks past Zionsville 1-0 in a big HCC game on Wednesday.
Click here to see more game images. (Kirk Green)