Polk County returned from a two-week layoff Tuesday to face a foe against which it only managed a draw earlier this season.
It seemed a scenario for an upset.
It was not.
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The Wolverines built a 2-0 halftime lead, extended it to 4-0 and went on to claim a 4-1 victory over Owen in a Western Highlands Conference tussle at G.M. Tennant Stadium.
Freshman Kenley Savaia scored twice as Polk County (7-1-4, 6-0-1) largely controlled the evening against an Owen squad (5-6-1, 2-3-1) that played to a 2-2 tie in the teams’ first meeting.
Despite not having played since an April 1 victory over Hendersonville, the Wolverines came prepared for the rematch.
“(Owen’s Carlee Grace Stewart) really caused us a lot of problems last time. Their aggression caused us a lot of problems last time,” said Polk County head coach Lennox Charles.
“I think we were a lot better prepared to handle her. When she got the ball, she was still dangerous every time. But we were in a better position to handle her and we did a much better job of challenging balls and getting to them.”
Savaia’s sprint to a free ball led to Polk’s first goal. After corralling a long Owen shot, Polk goalkeeper Cate Brown sent her ensuing punt well past midfield, where it bounced over Owen’s defense and toward the penalty area.
Savaia raced past the Warhorse back line, reached the ball first and drilled a shot into the net, with the goal in the 18th minute putting Polk up 1-0.
Reeve Carroll nearly doubled the score in the 29th minute, banging a shot off the crossbar. But Carroll’s wait for a successful strike was short-lived — a minute later, Hurley Bell also hit the crossbar from deep on the right flank. Gabby Savaia collected the rebound just in front of the net and worked back toward the top of the penalty area before flicking a pass to Carroll.
The sophomore found space and put the ball in the net to give the Wolverines a 2-0 lead.
Brown kept the Warhorses off the board in the 32nd minute, deflecting a Stewart shot and then poking the ricochet away from Owen’s Lily Berry in what was the Warhorses’ best look at goal in the first half.
Gabby Savaia set up her sister for her brace early in the second half, taking a long pass and dribbling deep into the box before delivering a perfect cross to Kenley Savaia, who easily scored. Gabby Savaia then added her own goal less than a minute later, hitting a low roller that slipped just inside the far post.
Berry scored in the 52nd minute for Owen’s lone tally.
“One thing we did not do a good job of was possessing,” Charles said. “You could see we were dead at the end of the first half and again at the end of the second half, that group that logged heavy minutes.
“That was good in that we got some match fitness, which we need, but I told them they’re going to need to let the ball work some more, and we didn’t. That’s the one area I thought we didn’t do a good enough job.”
Polk County will have little time to savor Tuesday’s victory, traveling Wednesday to Mitchell for another WHC match.
