Trigg County tuned up for next week’s district soccer tournament with an 8-3 win over Muhlenberg County Thursday at Josh Nichols Field.
The win was Trigg’s first over the Mustangs in 10 years and gives them a 2-1-3 advantage in the all-time series that dates back to 2010.
The match featured two of the top scorers in western Kentucky. Muhlenberg County senior Jenny Nilsen had 41 goals coming into Thursday, while Trigg junior Lania Hite had 37.
It was Hite who won the head-to-head battle with five goals to Nilsen’s one. Hite got help from Trigg County’s defense which did a good job of controlling the midfield and keeping Nilsen bottled up for most of the match.
It was Muhlenberg County’s Karoline Torkelsen that scored the match’s first goal inside the first three minutes.
Lania Hite responded with her first goal three minutes later to tie the match at 1-1.
Trigg would score the next four goals before halftime. Olivia Noffsinger scored off a pass from Hite in the 15th minute to give Trigg a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
Noffsinger then fed Addison Humphries for a 3-1 Trigg lead in the 26th minute.
Leiah Hite would feed her older sister Lania one minute later for a 4-1 advantage.
Nilsen would score her lone goal of the match inside the final two minutes of the half to cut the Trigg lead to 4-2.
Hallie Joiner would head in a pass from Leiah Hite a minute later to give Trigg a 5-2 lead they would take into halftime.
Lania Hite would score a natural hat trick in an 11-minute stretch of the second half to put Trigg ahead 8-2.
Madison Banda would close out the scoring for Muhlenberg County (10-5-1) with a goal in the 62nd minute.
Leiah Hite would finish with three assists, giving her 19 for the season and adding to her single-season school record total.
Anna Sink got the spot start in goal for the Lady Wildcats and made eight saves in getting the win.
Trigg County will take a 13-2-1 record into next week’s district tournament at Josh Nichols Field. Lyon County and Crittenden County play Monday with the winner to face Trigg County in Tuesday’s championship match at 5:30.
