Jackson overpowers Northwest in big win

The Jackson Indians cruised to a 5-0 win over the Northwest Lions on Friday at Jackson Soccer Park.

After a pair of shots rang off the crossbar, the Indians would strike first when Riley Monighan made it 1-0 in the 32nd minute.

“Anytime you can get the first goal it relaxes you a little bit,” Indians coach Justin McMullen said. “We just try to make sure that we continue to put the pressure on even after we scored the first goal.”

In the last 8 minutes of the half, Jackson would strike two more times courtesy of Olivia Klinkhardt and Justi Nelson to take a 3-0 lead into halftime.

“We didn’t want to get complacent,” McMullen said. “We don’t want to get too comfortable with things and we don’t want to get too reckless in what we’re doing as far as taking care of the ball. But, we want to continue to play and execute our game plan even up 3-0.”

The halftime break didn’t stop the momentum of the Indians as Ashlyn Dawes tacked on an early goal to make it 4-0.

“She made a good play as the goalkeeper was off her line a bit,” McMullen said. “She came in and hit the ball at the top of the box which we’ve been encouraging them to do to make sure that we know we are capable of hitting the ball from a little further out.”

The relentlessness of the Indians made it difficult on the Lions for the entirety of the night as they struggled to generate chances.

“We didn’t allow them to turn,” McMullen said. “We were in their backs which has been another emphasis is to make sure that we don’t allow them to turn and if we do we’re being very patient and tenacious at the same time.”

A late goal from Maya Domian made it 5-0 Indians.

As the Indians' lead grew throughout the game there was no let-up of intensity from the team.

“That’s where we want to be,” McMullen said. “We want to continue to display that intensity on a game-by-game basis and be really consistent with that. We can control that.”

Jackson (9-1) is back in action at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, April 24 when the Indians battle Poplar Bluff at Jackson Soccer Park.

“We’re definitely ready for an ambitious Poplar Bluff team that’s coming in and playing well lately,” McMullen said. “They’re very solid defensively and so we’re going to have to work extremely hard.”