The Greeneville soccer team kicked off its season on Tuesday evening at Burley Stadium by taking down District 2-AA foe Volunteer 4-0.
“There were a lot of things that we could have done better, but we got a win against quality opponent in a conference game. Volunteer came in ready to play and this was a tough opener for us. I’m proud of the effort tonight,” Greeneville coach Jerry Graham said.
Rain and lightning had limited the Lady Devils’ opportunities to practice in recent days. That made just getting out on the field feel good, but Graham also saw a lot his team needed to clean up before a tough weekend in Gatlinburg at the Smoky Mountain Cup Tournament.
“We were slow and a little bit sluggish and that’s because we haven’t touched a ball in a while,” Graham said. “I think the big thing was just getting out here and touching the ball against an opponent. We have to move forward, and tonight gave us a lot to work on in practice tomorrow. We turned the ball over an incredible amount tonight, at times when we weren’t under pressure. That something that can’t happen this weekend, and really it doesn’t need to be happening ever.”
Greeneville wasted little time taking the lead on Tuesday. It had a couple of good looks early, but they each missed the frame. Then in the sixth minute Peyton Vaught dispossessed a defender deep in the Lady Devils’ territory. She flew a pass across the box from left to right and it found Kinsley Spradlen at the far post. Spradlen punched it past the keeper with a quick swing and Greeneville had a lead it would never relinquish.
In the 17th minute Vaught again launched the ivory orb from the outside the box on the left side, but this time she put the perfect curl on it and stretched the side netting for a 2-0 Lady Devils advantage.
Captain Vivian Kammerdiener found the first goal of her senior season in the 26th minute after a long Lady Devils’ possession in front of the frame. She attacked the defense from the middle of the formation and wove her way around a series of defenders. Just inside the box she buckled the knees of one last Lady Falcon and found her self open before firing a burner from 10 yards for a 3-0 lead.
Greeneville’s experience on the front end showed itself on Tuesday with returning starters Vaught, Spradlen, Kammerdiener and Angelyn Diaz taking the attack to Volunteer early and often.
“We have some really intelligent players, some cerebral players, and we are fast,” Graham said. “Once we learn how to use that speed we will be a lot better off. Angelyn and Vivian have become those vocal leaders for us, then Peyton and Kinsley scored so many goals last year and it’s really valuable to have them back.”
In the first half Greeneville was in complete control and out shot Volunteer 15-2. One of those shots was well wide of frame and was easily pulled in by keeper Caile Broyles, the other was a 40-yard blast by Raya Kochemba the flew over the cross bar.
From the back line Elaina Philbeck and Julieann Raby shut down the middle of the field and kept the ball moving back to the Lay Devils’ end of the field.
In the second half Greeneville was less precise with its passes and challenging attacks became less common. Still the defense held up and kept the Lady Falcons from finding good looks.
Greeneville did find the back of the net one more time in the 68th minute. Diaz slipped a pass past the defense to Spradlen who fired from long range and sent a rocket inside the right post before keeper Khloe Sanders could react.
Greeneville will be back on the field on Friday against Clarksville in the Smoky Mountain Cup.
