Highlands didn’t need to rely on the luck of the Irish on St. Patrick’s Day.
The Highlanders got off to a hot start and never looked back in a 9-1 win over rival Blue Ridge on Monday afternoon.
With the wind at their backs in the first half, the visitors took advantage and got into an offensive rhythm early in the game. Forward Aislynn Wyatt-Luck tallied the contest’s first shot just two minutes into play, but was denied by an alert save from the Bobcats’ keeper Destiny McConnell.
Just three minutes later, on the Highlanders third shot of the game, forward Gabby Diaz Martinez broke the scoreless tie with a quick strike from the right side of the 18-yard box off an assist from Leticia Campos.
With a 1-0 lead in hand, the flood gates opened for the Highlanders over the next 20 minutes. Wyatt-Luck got on the board in the seventh minute when she fire a one-touch shot into the corner of the net off a cross from Diaz Martinez. Six minutes later Diaz Martinez made the score 3-0 with a 20-yard strike that snuck just under the crossbar.
Blue Ridge struggled to fine its offensive footing early, but nearly got on the board in the 14th minute when Isabella Moody collected a loose ball and made a run deep into Highlander territory. Moody got a shot off, but it was saved by the Highlanders keeper.
Diaz Martinez put the game out of reach with two more goals prior to the halftime break, when the Highlanders’ lead swelled to 6-0. The second half featured more even pace, and the Bobcats were able to crack the scoreboard late in the 9-1 Highlands victory.
Highlands (2-1 overall) will enjoy their first home game of the season tonight (Thursday) when the Cherokee Lady Braves come to town. Blue Ridge (0-2 overall) will be back in action today when they play host to the Hayesville Yellow Jackets.