Trojan soccer team beats North Brunswick

“We scored in the first half. Bella was right outside of the 18 and got the ball to her right foot and scored. The goalie for North was extremely tall but Bella got it over her head into the top left corner. A very good goal. Then we were tied 1-1 going into the half.”

Beacham said North’s goal came late in the first half.

“One of their center-mids, a very good player, was outside the 18 and had a great shot right over (goalkeeper Lauren Sturdivant’s) head. It would have been hard to stop,” Beacham said.

“Our goalie Maddy Richardson, a freshman, she has a hurt hand. So she’s been playing out on the field right now. We have Lauren in goal.”

The winning goal came in the second half on a penalty kick.

“We got a PK with about 10 minutes left in the second half,” Beacham said.

So Bella was running up the field with the ball and she was cutting into the box at the 18 and fell and they called for the PK. Our goalie Lauren Sturdivant, a junior, actually was the one who took our PK and scored, thankfully, because she would have had a long sprint back if she did not.”

Beacham said Sturdivant is one of three players she relies on for penalty kicks.

“She has made three now. She’s made all three so she’s our go-to if we have a PK,” Beacham said.

The Thursday victory ended the week on a high after two losses, 5-1 to Socastee and 4-0 to Topsail, after the Trojans got back from Spring Break. The week before the break the team lost twice to Mideastern Conference teams Ashley High School 12-0 and Laney 10-1.

“That was a huge win. I think that’s the most excited I’ve ever seen the girls. That was massive and there’s a little rivalry between the two schools apparently since I’ve moved here,” Beacham said.

“It was good. And it was a much-needed win after the tough Wilmington teams. Those girls are good up there. And they’re extremely skillfully sound. We needed yesterday.”

Topsail 4, West 0

“Against Topsail we were kind of in a rut, especially from playing those Wilmington teams. It was tough. And we were trying hard to get out of that rut. At the beginning of the season, we were 5-0 and we had all our players. Everyone was healthy. I don’t think since maybe that fifth or sixth game, we haven’t had all of our girls, from concussions and people getting hurt,” Beacham said.

“We’ve mixed up our lineup about every game recently. I feel like for the past month, we’re mixing up, trying to find something that’ll work. We have one key defender, a senior, Ava Kesterson, out right now. Hopefully she’ll be back sooner than later.”

Socastee 5, West 1

“At Socastee, it was an iffy game as well. Back from spring break and we didn’t practice over break, not that that’s an excuse, at all. I think that shows a week off can do a lot of damage if you don’t do stuff in the week off, by yourself,” Beacham said.

“They’re a good team. They have one really good center-mid. I think she played forward as well. She scored multiple of their goals.”

Bella Serrano scored West’s goal against Socastee, Beacham said.

“She’s killing it. She was going up the field and I believe she cut down right near the left post for Socastee and just slid it past the goalie.”

The Trojans were scheduled to play three games this week beginning with a non-conference home game against Socastee on Monday, April 24. Then on Tuesday, April 25 West was set to travel to Wilmington to play New Hanover.

On Friday, April 28 the Trojans are scheduled to host South Brunswick at 5 p.m. at M.H. Rourk Stadium.

“It’s a big week. We have New Hanover, Socastee and South Brunswick. And two are at home. The only one away is at New Hanover. Next week we could go 3-0, work our butt off and do it and celebrate after, or it could be 0-3. If we play like we did (against North), we could go 3-0. We have the chance to beat all three of those teams,” Beacham said.