American Fork girls soccer finds answers to hold off Westlake
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- American Fork players celebrate with junior Lucy Kesler (second from left) after she scored a goal during the Region 3 game against Westlake in American Fork on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023.
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- American Fork junior Lucy Kesler runs with the ball during the Region 3 game against Westlake in American Fork on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023.
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- An American Fork player kicks the ball away during the Region 3 game against Westlake in American Fork on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023.
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- Westlake sophomore Kennedy Prestwich dribbles the ball up the field during the Region 3 game at American Fork on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023.
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- An American Fork player kicks the ball during the Region 3 game against Westlake in American Fork on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023.
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- American Fork senior Sophie Eckery takes a shot during the Region 3 game against Westlake in American Fork on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023.
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- Westlake junior Halle Cowen looks to get past a defender during the Region 3 game at American Fork on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023.
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- American Fork junior Chelsie Johnson (3) pokes the ball away during the Region 3 game against Westlake in American Fork on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023.
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- Westlake player celebrate with junior Halle Cowen (30) after she scored a goal during the Region 3 game at American Fork on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023.
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- American Fork players walk off the field after the Region 3 game against Westlake in American Fork on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023.
After building a comfortable 2-0 lead in the first 62 minutes of Thursday’s Region 3 home game against Westlake, the American Fork girls soccer team suddenly found themselves under pressure from the Thunder as the visitors cut the lead in half.
Those are the moments when the outcome of a game hangs in the balance as both teams ramp up the energy.
It took just a minute, however, for the Cavemen to respond.
American Fork junior Lucy Kesler got the ball in the middle of the field just beyond the Westlake penalty box, spun to her right to set up and left-footed shot and buried to extend the Caveman lead again.
Just over 10 minutes later the sequence repeated itself as again the Thunder put the ball in the back of the net to make it a 3-2 game — only to see American Fork answer less than a minute later.
This time it was Caveman senior Bailee Ballard make a great move to get past the Westlake keeper and slide in the sharp-angle shot.
Those responses were all American Fork needed to hold on for the 5-2 victory over the Thunder.
“I think we came out a little slow but I feel like once we picked up our pace we definitely like got a rhythm,” Kesler said. “I think that’s what allowed us to put in goals in the second half.”
She explained that a big key for her team in those key moments was to not get nervous.
“I feel like we tend to panic when things don’t go our way,” Kesler said. “I think for us to be able to stay calm, keep our heads in the game and be able to go right back down, I think that’s really good for our team. I feel like sometimes we struggle with that. I think today showed we didn’t back down and we just kept pushing and kept pushing. I think that’s what allowed us to score that third goal and keep our rhythm going.”
Caveman head coach Derek Dunn was pleased with the resiliency he saw from his athletes in those critical sequences during the game.
“That’s kind of what we’ve been working on with our mindset,” Dunn said. “We always are talking about playing like we’re losing, even if we’re up. We kind of have that mindset to keep going. It’s been a little bit of a struggle trying to get everyone on that same level. of that competitive level. We definitely took advantage in those moments.”
It’s not surprising that Kesler was one of the players to step forward when her team needed her. The talented junior is a captain and someone who gets asked to do a lot.
“She’s always been an impact for us in the last couple of years, even as a young player,” Dunn said. “She’s stepping up and she’s doing a good job. She gets moved around. This is I think our sixth formation change. I wish we could get some pressure off of her. I wish some other girls can start putting the ball in the back of the net and luckily for us, they are.”
Kesler said her goal is just to contribute however necessary.
“I’m just here for my teammates,” Kesler said. “I want to be the best teammate that I can be and I think that being able to do that is I can make my teammates look good. If I need to play a different position, I’m going to do that to allow my team to play the best that we can. I think that’s helped me grow as a player not only on the field, but off the field and really show my leadership in different ways.”
While Kesler and American Fork got to celebrate the victory, Westlake was thinking about how close it was to ending a frustrating losing streak.
“They played awesome,” Thunder first-year head coach Jeremy Alvernaz said. “I would say we were on their side attacking more and had more shots on goal. I felt like what killed us was the transition where they were able to quickly put in a goal. We are very aggressive and get the ball up there, but we have had trouble finishing.”
He said Westlake can clean some of those things up and then show everyone that the Thunder can win games in the always-tough Region 3.
American Fork (7-2) will next host Skyridge on Thursday, while Westlake (5-5) plays at top-ranked Lone Peak the same day.
Both games are scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m.
