The Mount Vernon girls soccer team hasn’t fared well against Wooster in the past.
It would take all fingers and most toes to count the Generals’ goals since the Yellow Jackets joined the Ohio Cardinal Conference before the 2016 season. It would take none of those things to count Mount Vernon’s output over that period.
But Sept. 3 showed just how far the Jackets have come, even in a 2-1 defeat at Yellow Jacket Stadium to open OCC play.
Mount Vernon coach Bill Lonsinger wasn’t taking any moral victories, though.
“I almost feel — as a program — we’re beyond little victories,” he said.
Oliva Reddy tapped in a Makenna Brokaw corner kick that pinballed off the post with 18:40 left in the first half to break the four-year scoring seal and give Mount Vernon a 1-0 lead.
“The first half, we looked excellent,” Lonsinger said. “We looked like we could be state-ranked. But then the second half, it fell apart a little bit. But I gotta give credit to (Wooster) too.”
The Generals got goals from Sophie Gamble and Mattie Dunlap in the second half and held off a late rush to escape with the win.
“Overall, I hope it’s a growing process, and we learn,” Lonsinger said. “But as a program, I feel like we’re getting there. I think we’re going to be O.K., but it’s a tough pill to swallow tonight.”
The loss dropped the Jackets to 2-2 this season. Despite the .500 record, Mount Vernon is outscoring its opposition 16-7.
“That’s just massive,” Lonsinger said. “From a team five years that allowed 120 goals and scored 30. It’s just a massive change (and) I’m really happy for the girls. In the past, we weren’t even close to (Wooster) and now we’re getting there.”
The Jackets had a 7-0 win over Shelby on Aug. 26 and a 5-1 victory against Johnstown on Sept. 1 after a season-opening 4-3 loss to Mansfield Christian on Aug. 22.
Reddy had a hat trick and added an assist in the win over the Whippets and Stella Bainbridge tallied two goals and an assist in the victory against the Johnnies.
“Our team is just working together a lot,” Reddy said. “I think we’re going to see more success than we’ve ever seen in this program. So, that’s really exciting.”
All told, Reddy has five goals and three assists, Makenna Brokaw has three goals and three assists, and Bainbridge has three goals and an assist as seven different Jackets have found the back of the net so far this season.
“Last year, we relied on specific people (to score goals),” Reddy said. “But this year, we’re all scoring and we’re all working together. We’re a much older and our skills are much better.”
