The defense in front of Perry goalie Selena Garcia was stout again Monday at Dewey Field, with the junior called upon to make only four saves as the hosts defeated Des Moines Christian, 2-0, in non-conference soccer.
Perry is now 7-1 overall and remains 4-0 in Raccoon River Conference play. The win was the fifth by shutout this season and was the fourth consecutive blanking of an opponent.
The Jayette defense has been sharp but has been aided by strong play in the midfield that has resulted in Perry owning clear edges in possession and with much of the game played in the opposition’s end.
Some confusion reigned on the first goal of the game, which came 12 minutes into the contest. It was unclear whether Bryn Steffen or Carly Herrera had put the ball in the net, but the referee signaled number 16, not 17, awarding the goal to Steffen.
There was no such doubt on the final score, which came with just over 10 minutes left in the first half when the DMC keeper made a leaping save of a shot, only to have the ball deflect off her mitts. Hannah Peterson was standing in the right spot for the rebound and slipped the ball past the post for a 2-0 lead.
Perry will face a stout test Thursday when they return to Newton — the Jayettes were 1-1 in tourney play in Jasper County April 15 — to face the unbeaten host Cardinals, who they did not see in their first visit. The Jayettes will travel to Ballard May 2 and Gilbert May 4 before returning home for a critical match with ADM May 9.
