By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

SALEM, Ore.–  The Salem Academy Girls Soccer team slowed the Amity offense to an absolute crawl Thursday afternoon at Salem Academy High School.  Loading up the defensive half and challenging the Warrior offense while making sure that they were paying attention if the Crusaders sent a lob into the other half of the field in Amity’s 1-0 win on this day.

It was a good test of patience pointed Nisly as it changed up their formation to adjust, all while making sure that they are aware of the gap in the midfield that the formation that Salem Academy creates.

“It was good, we definitely needed that…this was good for us,” Nisly said.  “It was a really hard adjustment.  I mean we had to change our whole formation for it because it was so hard to get through all of that.  Their defense was good and their goalie was really good.  I thought we were really patient with it, passing it and trying to get a good, reasonable shot.

“That formation, it kind of leaves the midfield open so it’s a really quick transition if they get it out there.  So being patient and controlling the midfield, we don’t want turnovers on that because that could go badly on us.”

And for the Crusaders, they join Yamhill-Carlton and Riverdale as the only teams that have held Amity to less than four goals in a game this season.  The Tigers shut out the Warriors while the Mustangs held Amity to three in the Warriors season-opener.  The key was their ability to communicate on the pitch.

“It felt really amazing, I mean we held them the majority of the game and it showed that we can really work together and improve as a team every time we come out to play,”  said SA’s Kaylan Iverson.  “We all work really well together and we know how to communicate.  Even on the field, we’re staying positive and really using our words,” 

Despite their 0-4-2 record, the Crusaders have only allowed more than one goal three times and more than two goals once as their defense has kept the squad team in games as they start a four game road trip starting with Gervais/Kennedy on Monday.  Amity’s defense is also on the same trajectory with their sixth-straight shutout following their 4-3 defeat to Riverdale on August 31 that has the squad riding a 5-0-1 stretch since that season-opening defeat.  The Warriors are hosting Taft on Monday.

Photos By Jeremy McDonald