Coopers kick Warriors past J-Hawks

CEDAR RAPIDS - Scoring goals has been a struggle at times this season for the Washington girls' soccer team and, while the Warriors believe they left a few scores on the field Thursday, the Cooper sisters kicked in two for a 2-0 victory over rival Jefferson.

Senior Anne Cooper scored on a majestic free kick from 40 yards out on the right side in the 17th minute. Her kick was meant to set up a teammate, but it was so accurate it sailed over the keeper and into the net.

'She put it in a dangerous spot and good things will happen,” Warrior Coach Chad Hollmer said.

'It was lucky. I think one of our players actually tipped it off her head,” Cooper said. 'I meant it to just be a pass into the box, and it ended up being a goal.”

The game remained 1-0 until freshman Hallie Cooper took a pass in front of the goal and booted it home in the 59th minute. The score was part of a well-coordinated attack by the Washington mids, and for once Jefferson's back line was out of position.

'I think we had to keep doing what we do best and work hard,” Anne Cooper said of her team's attitude with a precarious one-goal lead. 'They're a good team so we had to keep pressure hard, and if we do that another goal will come.”

Senior Madison Kamin delivered the pass to Hallie Cooper.

'She passed it and I was just trying to focus on the corner because the ball was right in the middle, and then it just hit inside the post and went in,” Hallie said. 'I actually thought I missed, and (Anne) thought I missed, too. They just had one girl standing in the middle in the back and the whole side was wide open, so it was easy to get through from the passer.”

Washington improved to 4-6 in the Valley division of the MVC and 5-7 overall. This is the last game for the team before the first-round regional game. The Warriors play at Prairie in the first round.

'I think we've improved a lot since the beginning of the season,” Anne Cooper said. 'I think we're finally starting to build up our team stamina.”

Jefferson is 2-9, 3-12 and will face Dubuque Senior before starting the regionals against unbeaten Linn-Mar.