Girls soccer: Olsen’s 9th goal, defensive shutout combine for 1-0 Northridge win over Box Elder
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- Northridge goalkeeper Maliya Bell corrals the ball against Box Elder on Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023, in Layton.
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- Northridge’s Abigail Olsen (11) handles the ball between Box Elder players Ellie Groll, left, and Madison Thurgood, right, on Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023, in Layton.
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- Box Elder’s Madison Thurgood, left, rears back for a kick against Northridge on Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023, in Layton.
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- Northridge’s Allie Poff tries to secure possession against Box Elder on Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023, in Layton.
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- Box Elder’s Madison Thurgood pursues the ball against Northridge on Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023, in Layton.
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- Northridge’s Marissa Simpson (16) heads the ball as Box Elder’s Mallory Reynolds contests on Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023, in Layton.
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- Box Elder High girls soccer players cheer in a match against Northridge on Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023, in Layton.
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- The Northridge High girls soccer team gathers before a match against Box elder on Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023, in Layton.
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- Northridge’s Marley Cross handles the ball against Box Elder on Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023, in Layton.
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- Box Elder’s Olivia Godfrey tries to secure possession against Northridge on Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023, in Layton.
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- Box Elder’s Brooklynn Hadfield lines up a kick against Northridge on Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023, in Layton.
LAYTON — Before Tuesday’s game, Northridge High’s girls soccer team had scored 11 goals in five games this season. Eight had come from junior winger Abby Olsen.
It’s now nine of 12.
Olsen’s ninth goal of the season came in the 53rd minute and, combined with stout defense, gave the Knights a sorely needed, 1-0 win over Box Elder on a rainy Tuesday afternoon.
“We feel really good. We feel like we have our confidence back from losing two games. So we feel we can beat any team, we feel confident in our abilities. Looking forward to the next game,” said Olsen.
The win is a welcome sight for the Knights (4-2, 3-2 Region 5), who’ve been without multiple starters at times this season due to injuries and other absences. So was the manner in which they won.
A week ago, they lost games 4-1 and 5-0. They’d allowed 14 in five games overall, so defense and keeping possession were emphasized Friday and Monday.
The Bees (4-3, 3-2 Region 5) out-possessed Northridge, had about a dozen corner kicks, more scoring chances and put a ton of pressure on the Knights. Box Elder’s score at the end still showed zero.
“Our defense played really well today. Our goalkeeper made some amazing saves today, but we all just hustled and we all came through,” Olsen said.
Most of the first half was played in either the midfield or Northridge’s half of the field, where Box Elder settled in for long periods of time. Of the Bees’ corner kicks, one skipped across the 6-yard box and was set up perfectly for a tap-in, but that continued out for a goal kick.
Their best early chance was a 25-yard free kick by Kaydence Barber in the second minute that hit the crossbar. Olsen’s shot on goal from the right side in the 30th minute served as the Knights’ only good scoring chance before halftime, and that came in between numerous Box Elder corners.
Olsen was Northridge’s best attacking threat and, after seeing her low shot saved in the 47th minute, got loose down the left side early in the second half.
She shot with her left foot, the keeper got a hand to it, but the ball still went in by the near post for a 1-0 lead with 28 minutes left.
“My teammates, I’ll give them credit. They get me the ball and I just do my thing. Get up the wing and tuck it in the corner. I just try and score because we need it,” Olsen said.
A minute later, Barber went down and shot from the left side, but Northridge keeper Maliya Bell turned the ball onto the post and out for a corner. Bell made a handful of saves to get the Knights their first shutout of the year.
Barber was by far Box Elder’s most dangerous attacking player, and showed it by beating two defenders on the left and creating an open shot for herself yet again, but this one found the side netting. With two seconds left in the game, Barber hit a last-ditch free kick that clanged off the crossbar.
Tuesday’s meeting was another close Region 5 contest in a season that will likely be full of them. Before Tuesday’s games, Box Elder, Clearfield and Bountiful shared first place at 3-1 in the region, with Roy, Bonneville and Northridge at 2-2.
For now, Clearfield is alone in first place at 4-1 after a golden-goal winner from Cassidy Andrews, her eighth goal of the season, to beat Roy 1-0 on Tuesday.
And each team has something going for it. Olsen is the region’s top goalscorer, Box Elder’s allowed the least amount of goals, Clearfield is 2-0 in overtime games, Bountiful’s the top-scoring team and Roy is the only team to defeat Bountiful in region play.
Out of a 14-game region schedule, many expect the region champion will have at least two, if not three, losses by the time the regular season ends in late September.
Connect with reporter Patrick Carr via email at pcarr@standard.net, Twitter @patrickcarr_ and Instagram @standardexaminersports.
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