3A girls soccer playoffs: Wasps sting first-round foe

HEBER CITY — Facing little resistance from an overmatched opponent has been a recurring theme for Wasatch through much of its Region 10 girls soccer schedule.

So when the Wasps scored early and often against North Sanpete en route to a 9-0 victory in the first round of the 3A girls state tournament on Tuesday afternoon, it was a scenario that at once felt both familiar and annoying.

Wasatch (9-8) wasted no time running away from the Hawks (4-11) by scoring at will almost from the opening whistle. But, at the same time, it offered precious little help in showing the Wasps where they really are at this point.

The biggest hope for the team is that one blowout win after another will not become a roadblock to the team's goal of reaching Rio Tinto Stadium — like it did with a quarterfinal loss to Bear River a year ago.

"We're hoping for a different outcome this year," senior forward Anne Fitzgerald said. "It's a totally different team. We have different skills and we're fast. We'll see. It's just tough because we haven't been able to see harder teams other than Park City throughout region play."

The Wasps wasted no time taking care of business against North Sanpete — a side at a similar skill level to those weaker Region 10 opponents.

Wasatch got on the scoreboard in the fourth minute when Tristin Lowe cut inside the penalty area, found a good angle near the left post and blasted the ball down the middle to make it 1-0.

Fitzgerald tacked on a second goal in the 11th minute when she settled a cross from Marcela Corral and poked the ball between the legs of Hawks goalkeeper Haley Nuttall. Kelli Jo Hansen made it 3-0 three minutes later after finishing off a counter attack by slotting the ball inside the left post.

The Wasps doubled their lead to 6-0 by the 27th minute after scoring on three straight one-on-one challenges against Nuttall. The third goal was the most impressive of the set. Lowe sent home her second goal after Nuttall blocked her initial shot and Lowe collected the rebound at the right post and smacked the ball past the keeper on her second try.

Goals from Sharee Woodruff and Corral in the 32nd and 36th minutes, respectively, gave Wasatch an astonishing 8-0 halftime advantage.

Wasps coach Dawain Wheatley praised the effort his girls put in on both ends of the field. Wasatch not only attacked the net with vigor, but also made sure North Sanpete rarely crossed midfield at any time during the first half.