Spier strikes early, Golden Falcons cruise

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on April 20, 2016 1:48 PM

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PIKEVILLE -- It's a simple formula.

Send the ball over the top of the defense, get it to the right foot of Hannah Spier and let the freshman do her footwork toward goal.

Spier, as usual, executed the strategy with ease. She posted her second four-goal game of the season as Charles B. Aycock blitzed Southern Wayne, 9-0, during their Eastern Carolina 3-A/4-A Conference match at Hardy Talton Stadium.

Spier has a county- and ECC-leading 19 goals this season.

"We had a quick start tonight and that was good for us," said CBA head coach Byron Adkins, whose team quickly exploited the Saints' defensive weakness due to pivotal absences on the back four.

"They were missing a couple of key players tonight and for them that makes a big difference. Having those three injuries really affects them, but I thought we played really well tonight."

Southern missed five starters to due to various reasons.

The Golden Falcons, well Spier actually, needed just 10 minutes to expose the chink in the Saints' defensive armor. Spier received a long ball from senior Sabrina Johnson and a short pass from Anna Seguin. Each time Spier beat two defenders to gain possession and each time she scored.

The two goals, 45 seconds apart, put Aycock in front 2-0.

"To have a freshman come in (and score) is really good for us. She has a lot to learn, still, and she'll get there," Adkins said. "19 goals as a freshman. I don't think I can ask for anything better than that right there."

Freshman Lauren Smith converted a penalty kick in the 21st minute and Spier completed her hat trick-plus-one in the 35th minute. Smith's corner kick sailed into the box, deflected off the gloves of SW keeper Macy Weeks and Spier -- camped out at the back post -- used her chest to finish off the play.

Kayleigh Smith, Michelle Zamora, Johnson and Colleena Zacharzuk each scored in the second half. Zamora cleaned up a shot by Johnson that hit the crossbar. Johnson connected on the Golden Falcons' second PK of the night.

Zacharzuk's goal came off a Spier assist.

In all, CBA owned a 26-1 edge in shots. Weeks had 11 saves for the Saints. Golden Falcon goalies McKenzie Norris and Erika Kliss combined for the team's second straight shutout, and seventh overall this season.

"I thought the girls played freely tonight, had a good time," Adkins said. "The couple of goals early helped us, eased tensions a little bit. It's a game we had to have in the 3-A.

"Sabrina is a workhorse at midfield and Hannah Vernon is, also. That's what makes us go."

Aycock (9-4-0 overall, 4-3-0 ECC) travels to league-leading D.H. Conley on Thursday. Southern Wayne (3-10-0, 1-6-0) is the guest of J.H. Rose.