The Daily Times

Alcoa and Maryville just don’t mix field on any field.

The rivalry was no less competitive or physical between the two girls’ soccer teams Tuesday night at Alcoa.

It was Maryville, though, throwing the punches on the scoreboard, as the Lady Rebels got six goals from six different players to blank Alcoa 6-0.

“Any time you mix Alcoa and Maryville, it doesn’t matter if it’s boys or girls, there’s going to be some bodies flying around,” Maryville coach Bill Stooksbury told The Daily Times after the game.

Katie Porter, Caroline Hobbs, Morgan McCord and Olivia Spears each had first-half goals and Savannah Abel and Alicia Yarlett both scored in the second 40 minutes for Maryville (4-3-1) as the Lady Rebels spread the wealth.

“We like that,” Stooksbury said. “We’ve had trouble scoring goals this year, but the goals we’ve scored have been spread around. That’s what I like to see.”

After losses against Webb School and Kingston over the last week, Alcoa (2-3-2) came into the match beat-up.

A physical 80 minutes against a rival Maryville wasn’t a breather, Alcoa coach Shane Corely said.

“We’ve had a long week or so. Some difficult injuries, and we’ve had some difficult games the last week or so.

“I think we’re hurting right now. I don’t think we’re playing our best soccer, I think that’s the best way I can put it.”

Porter put Maryville on the board a little less than 10 minutes in, scoring on a kick from the left side that beat Alcoa keeper Kyndal Dossett across the goal to the right post. McCord provided the assist for the 1-0 lead. Five minutes later it was Hobbs who gave Maryville a two-goal advantage with a scoring strike that found just enough room above Dossett’s outstretched hands and below the crossbar.

McCord scored 12 minutes in for a 3-0 lead.

“We had a couple of early goals, and when you get the early goals that kind of sets the opponent back on their heels,” Stooksbury said.

“I was proud of the girls, the way they got those early goals and played good defense. It was a good game for us.”

Spears added a goal on a header with just over five minutes left in the first half. Abel scored seven minutes into the second half for a 5-0 lead and Yarlett found the back of the net in the 75th minute.

“It was a physical match, but more than anything, it’s how they play the game,” Corely said. “They play the game more quickly and more aggressively than we do. That’s the difference.

“We’re reactive to what they’re doing and let them dictate — and they’re very good on the ball.”

It’s been a tough string of matches — including three straight losses — since Corely’s team started the season 2-0-2 in its first four matches.

“We’ve got to get a little bit of form back, like we had early in the season,” Corely said. “We played well early on, and we’ve slipped a little bit.

“We’ve got some work to do. We have a district match coming up Thursday.”

Alcoa is home against Loudon Thursday while Maryville is back on the road, making a trip to Knoxville to face CAK.