Chris Caporale, sports@wolfrivermedia.com
Leader Photo by Chris Caporale Shawano Community High School senior Morgan Klitzke looks to drop off a pass to a teammate during the first half of Thursday’s game in Pulaski. Klitzke recorded both of Shawano’s goals in an 8-2 loss.
Leader Photo by Chris Caporale Shawano Community High School senior Sarah Dickmann cuts through two Pulaski defenders in the midfield Thursday. Dickmann assisted Morgan Klitzke’s second goal of the afternoon in a 8-2 loss.
Before getting into Bay Conference play Tuesday in West De Pere, Shawano girls soccer coach Bob Croschere wanted to challenge his team.
Pulaski, which went 17-3-2 and played in the Division 2 regional final last year, provided the challenge Thursday.
Trailing by four goals in the 42nd minute, Shawano picked up its tempo to create more scoring opportunities but only converted on two of them, eventually falling to the size and speed of Pulaski, 8-2.
Croschere said he likes to schedule tough nonconference opponents.
“I don’t avoid people when we schedule stuff,” Croschere said. “I try to schedule games like this just for these reasons. It shows some holes, but it also gets us to step up to a certain level, and say, ‘We have to get to here.’”
Haley Vandenhouten scored four goals for Pulaski, including two of the Red Raiders’ three goals in the first 20 minutes of the contest. Nicole Mooren, Maddie Wasilew and Brooke Schauer also found the back of the net on Shawano goalie Maddie Rabideau in the first half as Pulaski took a 5-0 lead.
In the 38th minute, SCHS senior Teagan Monfils put a shot across of the front of the goal, just missing the far post. She also rifled a shot at Pulaski goalie Lauren Wanta in the 42nd minute.
Morgan Klitzke put the Hawks on the board, on an assist from Megan Klitzke, in the final minutes of the half.
Just eight minutes into the second half, Sarah Dickmann almost got a shot on target as the Hawks continued to pressure Pulaski. Morgan Klitzke scored again, tightening the game to 5-2, in the 57th minute.
It took 10 minutes before Vandenhouten got back in her stride, tallying her hat trick in the 67th minute. Schauer and Vandenhouten tallied the final two goals in the 74th and 85th minutes, respectively, to close out the game for the Red Raiders (2-0).
The Hawks’ scoring opportunities left some concerns for Pulaski head coach Clete Gerhartz.
“Our defensive breakdowns were a concern, but it’s early in the season,” Gerhartz said. “We just broke down. And that was one of the things we focused on in halftime. … It was just a credit to Shawano.”
Despite the result, Croschere was happy with his team’s improvement.
“Overall, we played a lot better here than we did on Tuesday (a loss to Wrightstown),” he said.
Rabideau saved 14 shots for the Hawks (0-2) in her first start of the season.