By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – Indy Genesis double dipped and still had plenty of reserve firepower to double up on Bedford North Lawrence.
Playing its second match of the day, with a long road trip from Greenwood in between clashes with the Tippecanoe Tornadoes and BNL, Genesis spoiled the belated season debut for the Stars with a 4-2 triumph on Saturday afternoon. Nadia Finch scored twice for Genesis (3-0), which scored four unanswered goals after the Stars struck for an early lead.
Freshmen were the class of the turf for the Stars (0-1). Roslyn Himmelspach and Jenna Mullis produced the BNL goals, and reserve goalie Evelyn Nett made an electric save in net with a block of a second-half penalty kick. But Genesis kept the Stars bogged down on the defensive end for the majority of the action.
If Genesis was suffering from tired legs or bus lag in the beginning, BNL took advantage with an early goal. Himmelspach lofted a perfect shot over the goalie at 27:17, but from that point Genesis dictated the tempo.
“I was worried about being tight after playing and then sitting for that long,” Genesis coach Mindy Perry said. “Our girls have a lot of stamina.”
Genesis found a second wind as Sophie Launonen won a loose ball in front and hammered home a shot at 23:55. Finch recorded her first goal, a right-wing crack at 11:57, for a 2-1 halftime lead.
Lily George (a lobbed shot at 26:15) and Finch (a breakaway from the left wing at 14:40) added second-half goals. Nett made her key save off a penalty kick with 17 minutes left.
The Stars scored again with 12:03 left as Mullis blasted home a 20-yarder from in front.
”Those were two good breaks,” BNL coach Jordan Himmelspach said of the two goals. “We were able to find some space behind with some players with speed. Neal nice shots.
“Evelyn stepped up to make that save. I’m glad to have that depth at goalie, two different types of players that allows us some different looks. I liked our ability to shift and communicate on the fly. We started some players in positions they were not familiar with, and they kept their heads up, adapted to the situations on the field.”
BNL will visit Floyd Central for its Hoosier Hills Conference opener on Tuesday.
