Junior records first-half hat trick

~ Jackson's Dale helped the Indians knock off Perryville.

Jackson junior Chelsea Dale scored a hat trick in the first half Wednesday and the Indians overcame a short bench to rout visiting Perryville 5-2.

The Indians (12-2-2), who have been hit with a rash of injuries over the past month, had just five players dressed on the bench. They were able to get junior starter Lauren Drewett back from injury.

"We got Lauren Drewett back tonight so that helped a lot," Dale said.

Dale wasted little time making her presence felt up top. Perryville goalie Chastity Marr was forced to save a bad angle shot from Dale in the opening five minutes of the game. About seven minutes in, Marr was not so lucky as Dale headed a perfect cross from Katelyn Myracle over Marr's head for a 1-0 lead.

Jackson's Katelyn Myracle, right, passed past Perryville defender Ava Johnson during their game Wednesday at Jackson. Jackson won 5-2. (Kit Doyle)

Midway through the half, Drewett sprang Dale for a breakaway on a through ball and Dale neatly deposited a low shot into the back of the net for a 2-0 lead.

"We played some good one-two balls, made some good passes into space and ran off the ball," Jackson coach Zack Walton said.

The Pirates (12-8) looked like they may be put away in the opening half until Alicia Kueker found a gap in Jackson's defense late in the opening half. Kueker found herself wide open deep inside the Jackson goal box and placed a feed from Kendra Schilli and Nicole Gremaud past Jackson goalie Morgan Riddick to cut the deficit to 2-1 with nine minutes remaining before half.

It was only the second shot on goal in the half for the Pirates. Jackson regained control shortly following the goal though, and marching toward the half the Indians continued to pour pressure on the Pirates.

"Our girls didn't panic, they didn't play not to get beat," Walton said. "They played to win. They played hard."

Perryville's Alicia Kueker settled the ball during the Pirates' 5-2 loss Wednesday at Jackson.

Dale's third goal of the half came in the final four minutes and helped give the Indians a comfortable 3-1 cushion heading into halftime. The played seemed innocent as Dale looked like she was attempting to bend a cross in from the right sideline.

The ball caromed off the inside of the left post and into the right side netting. Marr simply looked back in disbelief as the Indians' players celebrated.

"It was kind of a shot, kind of not," Dale said.

Jackson senior Randi Kraust, one of three seniors honored before the game on senior night, pushed the lead to 4-1 with a breakaway goal five minutes into the half. Emily Dietl fired a high line-drive shot from about 25 yards out past a leaping Marr, who was only able to get her fingertips on the shot, two minutes later.

Myracle assisted on three of Jackson's goals with Kraust and Drewett adding assists.

Riddick, a freshman, did not have to do much in net for the Indians. Jackson's regular staring goalie, junior Lindsay Poole, was playing in the midfield due to Jackson's injury problems. Poole was a regular in the field for the Indians last year.

"For right now it will [stay that way]," Walton said. "Once a couple of players come back we'll have to see how things are. Morgan did a nice job in the box. That's always good to see."

Perryville finished the scoring with a goal from Alyssa Bauwens on a long, high-arcing shot from about 35 yards out. Hannah Willis picked up the assist.

"Our execution probably wasn't what it needed to be tonight, but I thought we created a lot of good things tonight," Perryville coach Stacie Sargent said.

Jackson will finish its regular season at Carbondale today, while Perryville will host Jefferson County Conference foe De Soto today.