Staff report

SALISBURY — Sutton Webb, a junior committed to Georgia, is good enough at soccer that her five-goal effort on Wednesday wasn’t a career night.

Webb, who has scored as many as six goals in a match, sparked the Hornets to a 7-0 win against South Rowan at Ludwig Stadium.

“Sutton is a tough stop and she put on a clinic in the first half,” Salisbury head coach Matt Parrish said.

Webb gave the credit to freshman Izzy Banish for the first two goals. Webb headed in the second one after a perfect cross.

“Just really nice passes by Izzy set those goals up,” Webb said. “She’s a very good freshman.”

Salisbury led 4-0 at halftime.

Webb already had a hat trick at the break.

Salisbury’s other first-half goal came off the foot of Lillie Rusher. It started with a corner. Rusher sent it into the box and then scored herself after a scramble.

“The challenge I gave our team at halftime was for some other people to step up in the second half and finish plays,” Parrish said. “As we move forward, teams in our conference and the teams that we, hopefully, will see in the playoffs are going to try to take Sutton away. We have to keep working to develop our other scoring options.”

History shows that the Hornets have special players in Webb up top, Rusher in the back, and Piper Muire in the midfield. Muire just missed on a couple of scoring chances.

Webb made a concerted effort in the second half to be a passer.

“She did everything she could possibly do to incorporate her teammates,” Parrish said. She set up some good opportunities, but we couldn’t capitalize.”

West got her fourth and fifth goals just by being in the right place at the right time. When the ball found her, and she knew what to do with it.

“My teammates found me,” Webb said.

Caroline Cardelle had two assists. Freshman Stella Koontz  had one.

Theresa Holland got her first goal as a Hornet in the final minute to close the scoring.

Caroline Clark and Abigail Perez shared the shutout in goal.

While both teams are in the Central Carolina Conference, this was a designated non-conference game. The teams will meet again on South’s Senior Night, the final night of the regular season.

South Rowan is 0-4.

Salisbury (2-0) opened with a 2-1 win against the always strong CATA team from Union County on Monday, but lost back Sage Huffman to an injury in that match.

“CATA was a big challenge for us, coming off spring break, and having Coach Parrish for only a few practices because he’s been working with our boys team,” Webb said. “We played really well against CATA. We’ve got a chance to have a great season.”

Parrish said Ben Fisher did a great job of preparing the girls to play while he was occupied with the boys team.

“I’m still getting acclimated to this group,” Parrish said. “I’m still sorting it all out. Tonight we got to play everybody and see everybody in different spots.”

Parrish said Thomasville won’t have a team in this condensed season. The Hornets replaced the Bulldogs on the schedule with Gray Stone.

With teams now being allowed to schedule three games per week, the Hornets could make more schedule additions.

“There are a lot of phone calls being made by coaches,” Parrish said.