POPLARVILLE, Miss. — The No. 13 Pearl River women's soccer team got off to a hot start Tuesday evening against East Central, using three first-half goals to earn a 3-1 victory.

"We came out really well in the first half. We worked really hard, and I was proud of how we played as a team," head coach Henrik Madsen said. "Our second half was not as good. We didn't show up out of the locker room. A credit goes to East Central for their second-half game plan. We need to work hard on our communication and finishing stronger."

MATCH RECAP
Ann Maris Ragan (Flowood; Hartfield Academy) put the Wildcats (10-4 overall; 6-3 MACCC) in front just seven minutes into the game. Marieke Faber (Britsum, Netherlands; Leeuwarder Lyceum) kept the play alive by corralling a loose ball and sending a pass inside for Ragan. The sophomore quickly sent a shot into the top right corner, 1-0.

Frederikke Nielsen (Spentrup, Denmark; Randers Statsskole) nearly added in a second goal moments later, sending a laser of a shot off the fingertips of the East Central (4-8-1; 3-6) goalkeeper and out of play. 

Ragan made sure to double the advantage at PRCC's next available chance. Nielsen played a beautiful through ball up the pitch to the sprinting Ragan. The striker received the pass, continued up the field and sent a ball into the back of the net in the 14th minute, 2-0.

The Wildcats nearly added a third in the 17th minute as Maddie Cuevas (Kiln; Hancock) fired a shot from the right side of the box toward the net, but the ECCC keeper lunged for the save.

PRCC didn't develop many more chances over the middle portion of the first half until being awarded a penalty kick in the 44th minute. Adele Mooney (Lafayette, La.; Ascension Episcopal) was tackled inside the box for a penalty kick. She promptly stepped up to the spot and hammered it home, 3-0.

In the 60th minute, Anna Grace Deakle (Gulfport) was fed a pass at the top of the formation and found herself in a one-versus-one situation. Unfortunately for the Wildcats, East Central's centerback plucked the ball away to end the threat. Immediately after, ECCC struck for a goal, 3-1.

Pearl River developed a handful of promising chances down the final stretch of the match but never cashed in, walking away with a 3-1 victory.

UP NEXT
The Wildcats go on the road Friday to take on No. 17 Copiah-Lincoln. The match will begin at 1 p.m. and will be livestreamed at colinathletics.com/watch.

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