Girls soccer: Bartlett starts fast, beats Larkin

Sometimes the ball just bounces the right way. It did for Bartlett in a 2-0 win against Larkin Thursday in Bartlett.

Mikayla Brown scored in the second minute and Morgan Myers added a key insurance score in the second half as the Hawks stayed undefeated in Upstate Eight play.

The fans had barely settled into their seats when Brown's sliding shot drove the ball into a wide-open net.

The early goal set the tone for the Hawks.

"It definitely helped us get more motivated and more confidence," Brown said. "I think we were ready to win this game."

"I don't care how it goes in, any time you can get a goal early it really helps your situation," said Bartlett coach Vince Revak. "It was a really good ball from Maddie (Donnelly). Good finish by Mikayla, it was a clever goal."

That score held up until halftime. Each team had chances but neither could find the back of the net.

Bartlett's Serena Salvato had a breakaway chance but Larkin keeper Lluviana Carmona came out to break it up. Later, Jasmine Mendez appeared to have a clear path to the goal but was ridden out by Paige Bednarke.

About midway through, Bartlett was awarded a corner kick. Brown threw it in front of the net where, after a few caroms, Myers directed it toward the goal. The ball, seemingly moving in slow motion, bounced several times and finally passed just inside the right upright.

"That was our strongest play," Brown said. "It's called number 3. It basically creates much chaos in the box. It slowly went in, but it's a goal."

"I hit it and it rolled right in," said Myers. "Hey, a goal's a goal."

Neither team generated a huge number of scoring chances, with the goalkeepers combining for 5 saves.

"The ball spent most of its time in the midfield, I think for both teams," said Larkin coach Ken Hall. "It was a midfield battle, it went back and forth, and maybe a couple of lucky things for them went in."

Larkin had several chances late, including a couple of dead-on shots by Ariana King, but Bartlett keeper Jessica Hill was equal to the task.

"They had their chances today," Revak said. "Any other day this could end up a completely different score line. Just for today, our chances went in and theirs didn't."