The Pocahontas County High School Lady Warriors Soccer team is six games into its season, with a record of four wins, two losses, and 0 ties.
Game 1 – away vs. Elkins, August 23
At half-time the Lady Warriors were behind 0-1. They played a very defensive game but Elkins scored again in the second half for a final score of 0-2, Elkins.
The Lady Warriors had a few shots on goal, but were unable to score. Shots on goal were from forwards senior Marlee McLaughlin and juniors Kira Bircher, Laila Calhoun and Alexa Taylor.
The defenders and midfielders had a busy night with senior Brianna Hefner, juniors Amelia Rose, Emily Casto, Sage McLaughlin and Elizabeth Hefner, sophomore Savannah McMillion, and freshmen Hazel Riley and Rayna Smith clearing the ball out of the backfield nearly 60 times.
Goalkeeper sophomore Sienna Bircher saved 14 goals of Elkins’ 19 shots on goal, and allowed only two. Hefner and Casto also blocked three shots on goal.
Game 2 – at home vs. Braxton County, August 25
At half-time the Lady Warriors were ahead 2-0. They scored two goals in the second half for a final score of 4-0, Pocahontas.
Scorers were forwards and midfielders junior Kira Bircher on a penalty kick due to a Braxton County foul; junior Cloey Sharp with an assist from K. Bircher; sophomore Savannah McMillion on a fast-break from mid-field; and senior Josie Faris with an assist from junior Elizabeth Hefner. Additional shots on goal were from senior Marlee McLaughlin and juniors Alexa Taylor and Laila Calhoun.
Defenders and midfielders led by juniors Emily Casto, Amelia Rose, E. Hefner and Sage McLaughlin, and freshman Macaden Taylor cleared the ball out of the backfield 44 times.
Goalkeeper sophomore Sienna Bircher saved 15 goals of Braxton County’s 16 shots on goal, and allowed 0. Casto also blocked a shot on goal. This was the team’s first shut-out of the season.
Game 3 – away at Greenbrier East, August 28
At half-time the Lady Warriors were behind 0-2. Greenbrier East scored again in the second half for a final score of 0-3, Greenbrier East.
The Lady Warriors had several shots on goal, including several free kicks resulting from Greenbrier East fouls and a controversial shot landing on the goal line, but did not score. Shots on goal were from forwards and midfielders senior Brianna Hefner, juniors Alexa Taylor, Kira Bircher, Laila Calhoun, Elizabeth Hefner and Cloey Sharp, and sophomore Savannah McMillion.
Defenders and midfielders senior B. Hefner, juniors Amelia Rose, Emily Casto, Sage McLaughlin, E. Hefner and K. Bircher, sophomore McMillion and freshmen Macaden Taylor and Hazel Riley cleared the ball out of the backfield 34 times.
Goalkeeper sophomore Sienna Bircher saved 14 goals of Greenbrier East’s 18 shots on goal, allowed three, and came out of the goal for several tackles and steals to prevent additional shots. Casto also blocked one shot on goal.
Game 4 – at home vs. Bluefield, September 1
At half-time the Lady Warriors were ahead 1-0. In the second half, they scored two goals and Bluefield scored two for a final score of 3-2, Pocahontas.
Scorers were forwards and midfielders sophomore Savannah McMillion on a penalty kick; junior Laila Calhoun with an assist from Alexa Taylor; and junior Kira Bircher on a free kick due to a Bluefield foul.
Additional shots on goal were from senior Marlee McLaughlin and juniors Elizabeth Hefner, Sage McLaughlin, A. Taylor, Calhoun and Cloey Sharp.
Defenders led by freshman Macaden Taylor and juniors Emily Casto and Amelia Rose cleared the ball out of the backfield 23 times.
Goalkeeper sophomore Sienna Bircher saved 10 goals of Bluefield’s 12 shots on goal, and allowed two.
Game 5 – at home vs. Petersburg, September 5
At half-time the Lady Warriors were ahead 7-0. They scored one goal in the second half for a final score of 8-0, Pocahontas.
Scorers were forwards and midfielders junior Kira Bircher on a penalty kick; K. Bircher in the goal box; junior Laila Calhoun in the goal box; sophomore Savannah McMillion with an assist from K. Bircher; senior Marlee McLaughlin from the left corner with an assist from freshman Mackenna McKenney; McKenney with an assist from junior Elizabeth Hefner; senior Brianna Hefner with an assist from freshman Hazel Riley; and E. Hefner on a penalty kick.
Additional shots on goal were from senior Josey Faris, juniors Alexa Taylor, Sage McLaughlin, Cloey Sharp and Amelia Rose, sophomore Sienna Bircher, and freshmen Riley and McKenney.
Defenders and midfielders including Rose and freshmen Macaden Taylor, Rayna Smith and Riley cleared the ball out of the backfield 22 times.
Goalkeeper sophomore Sienna Bircher received 0 shots on goal in the first half. In the second half, goalkeepers McMillion and Calhoun saved two goals of Petersburg’s two shots on goal, and allowed 0. This was the team’s second shut-out of the season.
Game 6 – away vs. Pikeview, September 8
At half-time the Lady Warriors were ahead 5-1. In the second half, they scored six goals for a final score of 11-1, Pocahontas.
Scorers were forwards and midfielders senior Brianna Hefner with an assist from junior Kira Bircher; junior Laila Calhoun scored four goals, one on a drive, two with assists from sophomore Savannah McMillion, and one with an assist from K. Bircher, who also scored three goals on drives; junior Alexa Taylor scored two goals, one on a drive and one with an assist from freshman Mackenna McKenney; and McMillion on a penalty kick.
Additional shots on goal were from juniors Elizabeth Hefner and Sage McLaughlin, and freshmen McKenney and Macaden Taylor.
Defenders and midfielders, led by juniors Emily Casto and Amelia Rose, and freshman M. Taylor, cleared the ball out of the backfield 29 times.
Goalkeeper sophomore Sienna Bircher saved six goals of Pikeview’s seven shots on goal, allowed one, and came out of the goal for several steals to prevent additional shots.
The Lady Warriors next games are Saturday, September 15, 10 a.m. at Herbert Hoover and Thursday, September 20, 5 p.m. at PCHS vs. Greenbrier East.
