Springville heeds coach's halftime advice

SPRINGVILLE — Springville coach Mikelle Roth's halftime instructions to her team were simple: Pick up the pace and shoot the ball.

Roth's team heeded her advice on Tuesday and scored two second-half goals to beat Region 6 foe Payson 2-0.

In the first half Springville was attempted less than a half-dozen shots on goal and wasn't looking for many offensive opportunities.

"I don't know what happened in the first half," Roth said. "We took five shots in the hole half. In the second half we just played faster and started shooting. Once you're shooting, one is going to go in. I said wanted told them to pick up and take shots."

To open the second half, Springville kept the ball on its side of the field for nearly the first 15 minutes. Finally, in the 53rd minute, Crosby Joyner slipped past several Payson defenders and punched the ball past Payson goalie Chelsey Potter on a breakaway for the game's first goal.

"They had a 10-15 minute burst of energy to open the second half that started to mentally drain us," Payson coach Lee Gillie said.

Karissa Henage later curled a free kick into the goal from just outside left corner of the 18 yard-line to up the Red Devil lead to 2-0 in the 65th minute.

"That was nice," Roth said. "You could see that she could hit that. That's nice we have someone who can hit those shots. I was happy for her."

Henage's goal put the game out of reach for Springville.

After going through its preseason schedule winless, Payson has won two region games and is now in a position for a state playoff spot.

"We've played some of the teams in each classification," Gillie said. "That has helped us become mentally stronger. We have also learned to play wide. That's helped open up our passing."

Gillie thought his team played well in the first half and said his team, "played them competitive and was right in there."

The only problem was that Payson was not able to generate much offense.

Springville goalie Brittany Poulson was rarely challenge while defending the goal, and Roth credits that to her defense.

"I thought our defense played really well," Roth said. "We were winning the balls in the air. It saves a lot of energy."