Windy win for Marion over Anamosa

MARION - One team finished 10-5 a year ago and the other 1-12, but Friday afternoon at Marion it was tough to tell the difference. The 13th-ranked Indians got a late goal from Holli Jones and edged WaMaC rival Anamosa 1-0.

Scoring was difficult to say the least.

'It was very hard. I definitely think the wind was a contributing factor,” Marion Coach Erik Trilk said. 'But that Anamosa team is very, very good, and they're really good defensively. Their goalie (Aubrey Nemmers) was fantastic.”

The wind, primarily a crosswind, was between 20 and 30 mph from the northwest.

'The wind was a big factor getting a touch on the ball,” Marion's Saige Trca said.

But the team headed to the south goal had a bit of help. That's where Marion scored the lone goal from the top of the box with just 1 minute, 52 seconds left in regulation.

'I passed the ball and I don't think Maddy touched it,” Trca said.

'I came across and really it should have been Maddy Chambers, but I just kind of made sure it got there,” Jones said. 'I think the bounce got her off guard and it just went in.”

Late in the game Marion put constant pressure on Anamosa with runs by Trca and Madison Bach and some of the midfielders. The Raiders were unable to clear the ball far enough to ever get Marion out of their half of the field. They finally wore down.

Marion played without its incumbent goalie, Abby Phillips, who decided to leave the team. Tanea Westhoff was tabbed as the keeper Friday morning and did a fine job.

'We understand. (Phillips) has been offered a scholarship to play volleyball at Iowa State and she has some nagging injuries,” Trilk said. 'Tanea has a little bit of experience, but boy she came up real big in the second half.

'It was a little dicey there. (The Indians) played very well in the back, communicated well and got to the ball. That back line played basically 80 minutes.”

Marion moved to 2-0, while Anamosa is 0-1.