Led by balanced attack, Nation Ford girls’ soccer off to great start

The Nation Ford Falcons are enjoying a very successful girls’ soccer season thus far. They are 9-2 overall, and their 4-0 region mark puts them in first place in Region 3-5A as they head down the region stretch.

A look at the Nation Ford team’s season stats paints a balanced picture: Every field player on the roster has played in each of the team’s 11 games, and both of the team’s goalkeepers have seen time in at least seven.

Seven players, too, have also scored more than one goal this season, and four have notched multiple assists.

Head coach Christopher Dundr said the team is led by three senior captains — Bella Myer, Taryn Chase and Abby Clawson — and that they’ve been important to the team’s consistency.

“These players have really worked hard to get where we are right now,” Dundr told The Herald. “They have bought into what we are trying to do. They are dedicated, and they believe in each other.”

Who leads Nation Ford soccer?

The Falcons own victories over Fort Mill, Clover, Boiling Springs and Gaffney in the region, and they have to play all four again in the second half of the year. (Some of these games were close, though: They defeated Clover, 1-0, on March 23 and Fort Mill in penalty kicks that ended 0-0 in regulation.)

Nation Ford looks to a trio of players to lead the offense.

Senior Emily Morris leads the team in goals (with 8) and assists (10). Sophomore Mia Mitchell has scored five goals and handed out seven assists, and junior Camryn Rodgers has five goals and one assist thus far.

“Those three are our top scorers, but we have had a total team effort on offense,” he added. “Eight other players have scored goals for us thus far, and five other players have recorded assists. That makes it harder to defend us.”

The Falcons’ defense has been extremely tough to score on through the first part of the year. They have allowed only .36 goals per match, while recording seven shutouts. Three of the shutouts — Clover, Fort Mill, Boiling Springs — have been in the region.

Senior Taryn Chase, junior Riley Cota, and sophomores Kennedy Childress and Audrey Small have been the leaders on the defense end of the field thus far.

“We play together very well on defense,” he said. “We have done an exceptional job thus far, and we are getting better as the year moves along.”

Sophomore Katelyn Carroll has been the top goalkeeper. She has 37 saves on the year, and she has recorded seven shutouts when working in the net. She missed several games because of an injury, Dundr said, and senior Bella Myer took over and did well. She has 14 saves thus far.

“Goalkeeping has been another key for our overall success,” he said. “Carroll has been outstanding, but when she got hurt, Meyer was ready to play. They have both turned in outstanding efforts.”

Nation Ford looks to rest of season

When spring break is finished, the Falcons will open play with a non-region match against the Rock Hill Bearcats on April 13. That will be followed by the second round of the region matches.

Dunhr knows what his team must do to continue winning and make the playoffs.

“We need to keep improving so that we peak at the right time,” he said, adding, “Winning like we have against quality competition in the region has really given us some confidence,” he added. “We need to keep doing what we have been doing and take full advantage of any opportunity we are given in our remaining matches.”

This story was originally published April 5, 2021 at 10:59 AM.