Maybe DeKalb County shouldn't have scored first.
After struggling to find their rhythm throughout the opening half, the WCHS Lady Pioneers suddenly found another gear when they fell behind. Warren County answered an early second-half DeKalb goal by scoring six unanswered over the next 20-plus minutes, storming back for a 6-1 road victory Monday night.
Addison Steakley continued her torrid scoring pace with two goals, while Giselle Escamilla, Izzy Rodriguez, Emory MacDonald and Anna Templeton all scored once in the straight straight win for Warren County. The Lady Pioneers are now 8-2-1 overall after back-to-back, five-goal wins to start the week.
The final score hardly reflected how difficult things looked early.
"This was an unusual match, as it took our girls some time to settle into the flow and rhythm of the game," said coach Todd Willmore. "DeKalb played aggressively and did a good job of disrupting our rhythm, making it difficult for us to find our usual pace and intensity."
The score was deadlocked at 0-0 at the break, where both teams started to regroup. Warren County came out of halftime with more energy, but DeKalb struck first.
Less than five minutes into the second half, the Lady Pioneers overplayed a through ball and allowed a DeKalb forward to break free behind the back line. She won the one-on-one opportunity with freshman keeper Kinsley Simpson, sliding a shot into the right side of the net to put Warren County in a 1-0 hole.
The deficit didn't last long.
Instead of allowing the goal to compound what had already been a frustrating night, Warren County immediately raised its level. The Lady Pioneers poured in six unanswered goals over the next 20-25 minutes to completely flip the match.
Steakley led the barrage, while the team’s celebration may have the biggest when Templeton - a freshman - scored for the first time in her career.
"The response showed the character, determination and resilience of this team," said Willmore. "Not every match is going to go exactly as planned, and learning how to respond when things aren't going our way is an important part of becoming a better team."
The offensive explosion continued a huge week for Warren County. After scoring five times in Sunday's shutout of Spring Hill, the Lady Pioneers followed with six more against DeKalb. Steakley has been particularly spectacular, accounting for four of them. Steakley and MacDonald have now moved into a tie for the team lead with seven goals apiece.
But beyond the numbers, it was the response that Warren County’s coach remembered the most from Tuesday night.
"It is always great to get a win, but I was especially proud of how our girls responded tonight," said Willmore. "Their effort, energy and determination in the second half were outstanding, and that is something they should carry with them into our next match."
Warren County will return home Thursday to face Columbia Central at 7 p.m.
