PALISADE — A lack of offense in their earlier meeting worried Palisade head girls soccer coach Luann Ehlers prior to Tuesday’s home game with Eagle Valley.

“I was very concerned because last time the (final) score was 1-0,” she explained of the squeaker, which Palisade won. “It was not a good game for us. We didn’t have everybody that we usually have to play. But it was still 1-0.”

With a full roster to work with, the Bulldogs eased Ehlers’ frets with three goals in the first half enroute to posting an easy 4-0 shutout win over the winless Devils.
Palisade netted its first score early when Bella Caselton scored in the fifth minute on a free kick after a Eagle Valley foul just outside the penalty area.

The rest of the game was a breeze.

Palisade upped its lead to 3-0 three-fourths of the way into the first half. Becca Fitzsimmons snared a rebound off an Eagle Valley defender for the second goal.
Lindsay Yeates chipped a shot to the opposite end of the net from the left side in the 28th minute.

The Bulldogs’ third goal lightened Ehlers mood on the sideline.

“They came in very confident, and we were having some struggles,” said Ehlers of Palisade’s recent scoring problems.

“We were putting people in different positions to try the bring the ball up the middle constantly. Finally, we’re swinging the ball outside again. Getting our touches a little quicker and working together. This was better for us because we haven’t had a lot of offense the last few games.”

Palisade was rallied by a diving save from Bulldogs goalie Amelia Davis on Eagle
Valley forward Nicole Luczkow in the 10th minute while clinging to a slim one-goal lead.

“Amelia drives the team all the time,” Ehlers said. “They want to play well because of her because she gives 100 percent no matter what. She always inspires the team.”
Davis was never tested by the Devils again.

The rest of Eagle Valley’s six shots on goal were softly hit, well outside the penalty area. Palisade had nine shots in the game.

Palisade scored its fourth goal with two minutes left in the second half when a low shot by Caselton slipped through backup keeper Syndi Schlegel’s hands.

An earlier second half goal on an indirect kick by Yeates, who had followed up Hannah Hardin’s cross-net shot from the right side to the left far post, was disallowed due to the ball not being touched by an Eagle Valley defender.