By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

SALEM, Ore.–  It’s always a slow process getting to where you want to be, but the McKay Lady Scots Soccer team is getting there.

There were glimpses of strong defense from McKay versus South Salem today in their 5-1 loss at the south side of town with the Saxons only scoring in tiny spurts along the way.

First example of this was when the Scots shut down the South offense in the latter half of the opening half to keep it 2-nil at the halftime intermission under rainy skies on the Saxon turf.

Outside an accident that was an own-goal to give South a 3-0 lead, the Scots defense was the same for much of the second half as Cecilia Munoz cut the South Salem lead to 3-1 as the game entered the final 20 minutes.

“Those are positives for us,” “I mean today they showed what it takes to play defense.  We’re solid, we stopped a couple of good through balls and day-by-day we’re improving and I feel like today the girls got it.  They got the defense today.”

However, the Saxons would add a Katie Paluska (61^st) and a Andraya Montgomery (64^th ) that would increase the lead to 5-1 as the Scots couldn’t add to Munoz’s goal late.

“Communication, just communicating a little bit more.   Knowing where the player is.  We’re trying to go away from  playing long ball, we know, we understand Ce-Ce is a very quick player but we’re trying to trying not play with on the ground one-two’s and just play more soccer and score goals that way.”

It’ll be a quick turnaround for the girls as they play McNary in Keizer Monday evening at 6pm.