Defense wins it for Linn-Mar

CEDAR RAPIDS - The Linn-Mar girls combined a stifling defense with just enough offense to defeat Cedar Rapids Xavier, 2-0, in a high school soccer game Thursday afternoon at Xavier.

The Lions expect to contend for a state title in Class 3A and looked the part.

Most of the action took place on the Saints' side of the field, although the Saints' defense, spearheaded by Lizzy Bailey, was adept at heading off most of the Lions' runs.

Senior Jensen Sevening scored the first goal in the 32nd minute despite battling an illness.

'It was kind of bouncing all over the place, and it bounced right to me,” she said. 'I was on the top of the box and just took a shot when I had the chance.

'Obviously, it's always nice to score a goal. It relieves some pressure and you calm down and you know you can take more risks.”

Linn-Mar was coming off a game against Cedar Falls in which it had to rally to tie in regulation and win in overtime. This was a game when shots were available but seldom were on frame.

'We're creating chances, but we're just not finishing them,” Sevening said.

The final goal came on a penalty kick from Olivia Garcia after a foul in the box in the 79th minute.

The Lions' defense was impenetrable Thursday.

'Last year we lost three of our starting defenders, so it was a really big shock,” senior defender Kayla Kvach said.

'We've been working a lot at practice especially on communication, and our new people are really stepping up.”

The Class 2A Saints (0-2) were saddled with a ghastly early season schedule, facing last year's state 3A runner-up Dubuque Hempstead on the road and then playing host to the 3A second-ranked Lions.

'We want to use (the schedule) as a way to figure out where we start and where we need to end up,” Xavier Coach Beth Samek said. 'Everything in between we control.

'One thing we want to improve on is our aggressiveness. We're moving in the right direction.”