Tough weekend for Lady Broncs

JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — The Jackson girls didn’t have much to show for their 200 minutes of soccer over a 19-hour span last weekend. Except for maybe Taya McClennan. The Lady Broncs sophomore scored all of Jackson’s goals (3). But while they didn’t move the needle much in the standings department, they did perhaps prove a few things to their coach, the fans, and themselves.

Jackson 2, Kelly Walsh 2 OT

The Lady Broncs (7-3-2) managed just a tie after double overtime with Kelly Walsh (5-0-5) on Friday. For the Lady Trojans, it was their third straight tie and 5th on the season. It was the second time Jackson played the Lady Trojans to a standstill. The two teams deadlocked at 2-2 back on April 9 in Casper.

Taya McClennen got the Lady Broncs on the board with a quick strike off a centering pass from Ella Steinberg. Steinberg received a nice through ball from Phoebe Alva Rosa and then battled and battled and battled the ball to the box for McClennen who wasted no time putting one just inside the far post.

Kelly Walsh drew even less than a minute later and that’s how the 1st half ended 1-1. That’s how regulation ended. And that’s how the 1st OT ended. It wouldn’t be until the 98th minute when Kelly Walsh took their first lead of the game.

Jackson, who looked tentative all game, did not fold. They dialed up the pressure for the final 90 minutes. When McClennen lined up to take a free kick with just seconds left, the sophomore put a toe to it from 22 yards out, over the four-man wall and just under the crossbar for the tying goal as the clock expired.

Natrona County 2, Jackson 1

Emotionally, physically, that KW game took a lot out of the Lady Broncs. The girls looked sluggish Saturday morning against Natrona (9-1-2). Movement away from the ball was down to a minimum, especially on the outside where wingers Eva Flanagan and Piper Lee are normally field-stretchers with their speed. But they looked gassed most of Saturday.

“Those wings run fast. All game, and they don’t get subs,” McClennen said.

The lack of movement stifled Jackson’s offensive creativity somewhat, which hurts a ball possession team like the Broncs more than most. Yet Jackson controlled the play for the most part against the Fillies Saturday. They just never turned time of possession into goals.

“It was probably one of our best games, the way we played. We just couldn’t finish for whatever reason,” McClennen said.

The competition had something to do with Jackson’s inability to find the back of the net. Both Casper teams Jackson hosted last weekend sit #2 and #3 in the 4A West ahead of the Lady Broncs.

“The better teams mark better,” McClennen admitted about the defense they saw. The Trojans and Fillies were glued to Lady Broncs all weekend.

For all their time of possession, it was quick strikes the other way that made the difference last weekend. Speed has victimized Jackson all season, and this time it was freshman Paige Gustafson who burned the Broncs early off transition when a turnover went quickly the other way.

Broncs keeper Sidney Nash was tentative and late to come out on Gustafson for the first goal against.

Jackson was able to get even with another goal from McClennen, the only one to get past freshman goalie Rian Barthel.

But it was Brooke Travers who put a dagger in dreams of a comeback with a game-winner late in the 2OT after she wriggled free from fullback Jordan Davis, gained position, and beat a sprawling Nash just inside the near post.

Next up

“We can be hard on ourselves, after the loss…in a good way,” McClennen said. “We don’t like it, but we won’t let it get us down. We have games this week and have a lot to work on.”

Jackson has little time to dwell. Two more games await—Wednesday and Thursday at home against Evanston and Star Valley.