By Bruce Karnick

The shortened fall season is rapidly coming to an end for our Raiders and the Girls Soccer Team is not letting up. They took a trip to Tartan on Tuesday, September 15th to take on the Titans. Going into the contest, the Raiders were 3-2-0 with 10 points, one point behind the 3-1-1 Henry Sibley Warriors and six points ahead of the 1-4-0 Tartan Titans. Each game has become a must win for the girls to have a chance to pass the Warriors for the number one spot in the Metro East Conference. That pressure did not get to them Tuesday Night.

Lead once again by Junior Bella Meier, after her two huge goals scored versus Hill-Murray, the Raiders defeated the Titans 4-0. #9 Meier scored three more goals to bring her season total to eight. She also added an assist, giving her two on the year in that stat column. Junior Megan Brown knocked one to the back of the net as well adding to her season point totals. #13 Brown has three goals and one assist on the season. Senior Mollie Begin played a key role in two of Meier’s three goals against Tartan. #11 Begin now has two goals and two assists for the 2020 season after her two assists to Meier. Senior Keeper Kaitlin Petrich shut down the Titans with the assistance of a solid defense in front of her. #0 Petrich only faced 10 shots in her 80 minute shutout.

Unfortunately for Hastings, Henry Sibley still has a one-point lead in the standings after an 11-0 thumping of North Saint Paul on Tuesday night. The Warriors had 13 points for the season and the Raiders 12. Hill-Murray helped the Raiders run for first by defeating the Warriors Thursday night, September 17th, 1-0. The Raiders had an off day. The final hope to jump into first place comes Tuesday September 22nd when the Raiders host the Simley Spartans, 5:00pm at Todd Field. Head coach Scott Meier will need to keep the ladies focused on their own game because the Warriors travel to take on Mahtomedi on Tuesday at the same time. You know Raider fans will also be temporary Zephyr fans that night.

A loss by the Warriors and a win by the Raiders puts the Raiders in first as they head into the Conference Championships September

#11 – Mollie Begin takes a shot on goal, forcing the Tartan keeper to dive to block the shot. Photo courtesy of Tricia Pelava