The Reeths-Puffer girls soccer team bounced back from a disappointing loss on Monday and started district tournament play on a very strong note.
The Rockets traveled to Fremont on Wednesday and easily handled the higher-seeded Packers 5-0 in a Division 2 quarterfinal game.
Sophia Hekkema and Billie Tryska both scored two goals for Reeths-Puffer while goalie Ava Klopp got the shutout.
The victory sends the Rockets to next Tuesday’s district semifinal game against Ludington at Fruitport High School.
R-P's Billie Tryska, who had two goals, plays a ball off her head. Photo/Joe Lane
The win also eased the painful memory of Monday’s 1-0 loss to Mona Shores in the O-K Green conference tournament championship game.
R-P Coach Kody Harrell admits he wasn’t sure how his team would respond after losing a heartbreaker just two days earlier, but the Rockets did just fine.
“I was really concerned,” Harrell said. “That was an emotional loss on Monday – another one-goal loss to a big rival in a conference title game. If we had lost tonight it would have meant the end of the season and the end of some careers for the seniors. But at the end of the day the girls really showed up and took care of business.”
R-P goalie Ava Klopp makes a leaping save. Photo/Joe Lane
The Rockets opened the scoring within the first five minutes when Hekkema dished a pass off to Tryska, who found the back of the net.
R-P made it 2-0 about 10 minutes later when Tryska scored again, this time on a pass from Ava McDaniel.
Freshman Mallorie Messer added a goal before halftime, and the Rockets led 3-0 at the break.
Hekkema scored both of her goals in the second half, with assists from Taeah Rensberger on one and Alyssa Herbert on the other.
R-P's Irelyn Niklasch lets a shot fly. Photo/Joe Lane
Hekkema now has 21 goals on the season, one short of her own single-season school record.
“I was really happy the girls played with a lot of concentration instead of feeling bad about what happened 48 hours ago,” Harrell said.
