Sports : Vikettes win soccer opener vs. Mount Vernon in OT, 3-2

Senior Ashley McKenna pursues the ball vs. Mount Vernon.

Grace Milroy

Lyndsey Cornell (12) scored all three Vikette goals in Tuesday's season-opening win.

Maci Griffith

Every year, says VS girls soccer coach Dave Cornell, the team will have a new look.

That’s because every year, more underclassmen will have had one more year of pre-high school soccer experience.

When VSHS began the girls soccer program five years ago, most of the players had played little or no soccer before. Now, many elementary and middle school players compete in a variety of soccer clubs or leagues, and they come to high school with more knowledge of the game.

The “new look” for 2013 included reversing last year’s opening results. The Vikettes, who lost to Mount Vernon, 2-0, to began that season, defeated them 3-2 in overtime on Tuesday in Vinton.

“The game was good,” said the coach. “It was a well-played game by everyone. I thought all of our players filled their roles really well.”

The Mustangs had taken a 2-1 lead on a long shot but the Vikettes came back and tied it on a penalty kick due to a handball in the box. The game went to sudden-death overtime, where the Vikettes won after four minutes of play, on a long shot by Lyndsey Cornell.

Cornell, a sophomore, scored all three Vikette goals.

Maci Griffith and Ashley McKenna each had an assist.

While the game had a total of five goals, the score remained tied at 0 for the first 60 minutes. The Mustangs scored first, but the Vikettes quickly tied the game at 1.

The Vikettes recorded 25 shots on the goal, to just 15 for the Mustangs.

"We dominated offensively in the first half," Cornell said.

After the 3-2 varsity win, the JV team tied with MV at 3.

See the complete Vikette soccer schedule below:

Girls Soccer (JV/V)

Thurs. 4/3 4:30 Mt. Vernon (Jamboree) A

Tues. 4/8 4:30 Mount Vernon H

Fri. 4/11 5:15 Western Dubuque A

Tues. 4/15 4:30 Marion H

Thurs. 4/17 5:00 Clear Creek-Amana A

Tues. 4/22 4:30 Williamsburg H

Thurs. 4/24 4:30 South Tama H

Tues. 4/29 5:00 Independence A

Fri. 5/2 4:30 Columbus Catholic H

Tues. 5/6 5:00 West Liberty A

Thurs. 5/8 4:30 Center Point-Urbana H

Tues. 5/13 5:30 Anamosa A

Thurs. 5/15 5:30 Benton A

Fri. 5/16 4:30 Willamsburg A

Tues. 5/20 5:30 Solon A

Thurs. 5/22 4:30 Monticello A

Fri. 5/23 4:30 West Delaware H

Tues. 6/3 TBA 1st Round Regional A

Fri. 6/6 TBA 2nd Round Regional A

Mon. 6/9 TBA Regional Final A

Thurs. 6/12-6/14 State @ Des Moines