SOCCER: High energy offense fuels Lady Tigers to opening win, boys look to regroup

His first goal started with his dribbling past down the right side, coming just yards from goal but also at a tight angle. Despite the difficulty of his shot, it proved too strong for the goalkeeper to reach.

Dussouy then took advantage of a defensive error, taking his time and taking a shot.

Head Coach Chess Hamby has certainly taken note of his contributions.

“She creates lags, and when you take her out into space, she’s pretty good with the ball,” Hamby said. “She creates opportunities for herself and for others around her.”

The Lady Tigers came into the game against Chestatee after a 2-0 loss to Cartersville.

During the scrimmage, Dawson played well throughout the first half before Cartersville found a pair of second half goals to win 2-0.

But against Chestatee, the Lady Tigers were locked down the entire game – with the midfielders controlling the tempo and giving Dawson the vast majority of possession.

Madeline Clifford, Elena Nelson and Daisy Vargas Sanchez were all key in helping to launch offensive possessions throughout the game, sending the ball into space for Dussouy and others.

One such player who benefited from the midfield’s efficiency was striker Hayden Hand, who came off the bench to score the game’s third goal.

His own unique spark provided an important source of depth for a side that played with an aggressive approach.

Hamby enjoyed seeing the team’s overall progress between the scrum game and the season opener.

“I was very pleased with how they reacted after Friday night,” Hamby said. “I asked them to take this [loss] with them and let it burn a bit. We challenged them this week…and I think that made a big difference tonight.

The boys’ team entered Tuesday’s game after winning a 2-2 tie in their scrimmage against Cartersville.

Sheppard Kohler scored both goals for the Tigers – finding the net within two minutes of each Cartersville goal.

But the positive counterattacks Dawson displayed in the scrum were absent against a much-improved Chestatee side.

The opening 30 minutes initially showed the team’s defensive resolve, but a 50/50 penalty awarded to Chestatee put the hosts ahead.

Goaltender Bryce Beach was a big part of keeping the Tigers in the game early, throwing himself in several times.

Just before half-time, the War Eagles doubled their advantage and would not be stopped for the rest of the match, eventually winning 8-0.

For head coach Patrick Muenchen, it is important that the team does not get discouraged before the next match.

“I think once [Chestatee] started scoring a few goals, we got discouraged,” Muenchen said. “Hopefully we’ll use it…to be more intentional and play faster. We need to communicate.”

Then Dawson County will return home to take on North Murray on Friday, February 3.