Something about playing against Russellville tends to bring out the best in Siloam Springs senior midfielder Jaci Hoelscher.
As a junior last May, Hoelscher scored both of Siloam Springs' goals -- including the game-winner in a second extra time period -- as the Lady Panthers defeated Russellville 2-1 on the Lady Cyclones' home field in the Class 6A state semifinals on their road to the 6A state championship.
Playing Russellville in a 7A/6A-Central Conference game on Tuesday, Hoelscher came up big again against the Lady Cyclones.
Hoelscher's header off a Kaylie Lane cornerkick in the 54th minute proved to be the game's only goal in a 1-0 win against the Lady Cyclones at Panther Stadium.
"We try to get set pieces to work like it should be a goal," Hoelscher said. "Kaylie just made a good serve."
Siloam Springs had a pair of chances to score on cornerkicks on the visitor's side just moments earlier. The Lady Panthers got a shot at a cornerkick on the opposite side of the field and this time they didn't miss.
Lane served up a nice pass which Hoelscher connected with in the air, sending the goal into the right corner.
"I usually run to the PK spot, and that's where the keeper always is," Hoelscher said. "So the corner of the net I'm facing is always open and that's where I try to place it."
Siloam Springs head coach Chuck Jones said the set piece goal was a result of hard work and practice.
"We've spent some time on our set pieces, but it's just a matter of being able to get a head on the ball," Jones said. "I'm not sure but that may be one of the first set pieces we've scored on out of the air in a few years. I was proud of them. Jaci did a great job, and she put it in the net."
Before and after Hoelscher's goal, it was mostly an evenly played match between the two teams.
"I think we're really evenly matched," said Russellville coach Kelly Young. "They scored off a corner kick, which sometimes one set play is all it takes to win a ballgame. They had opportunities on their end. We had opportunities on our end."
Both Jones and Young were complimentary of the other team after the game.
"I think they're going to be one of the teams to beat in the tournament coming up," Young said of Siloam Springs. I was real impressed with their ball skills. They one-touch and two-touch very well. They're a team to watch out for."
Said Jones: "It was a great win. We needed it. I'll tell you what, (Russellville is) a very good team. I was proud of our girls. We played very well. I think we played much better as a team. We got to play lots of girls and they all gave us quality minutes."
One particular note was the play of freshman goalkeeper Caroline Dinger, who played the entire second half because sophomore starter Anna Claire Lewis was battling an illness.
Dinger made a pair of defensive stops in the second half for Siloam Springs.
"We have confidence in (Dinger)," Jones said. "She does a great job in practice and JV (junior varsity) games, it was one of those things where Anna Claire wasn't feeling well. She's been under the weather for a few days -- she just felt like she couldn't stay fully focused. We had confidence to let Caroline go in there."
With the win, Siloam Springs improved to 1-1 against 6A competition in conference play -- the measuring stick for seeding in the Class 6A playoffs.
Siloam Springs, Greenwood and Russellville are each 1-1 in league play against 6A competition.
Siloam Springs, which lost to Greenwood in PKs 1-0 on April 7, has two more 6A games remaining -- at Greenwood on May 1 and at Russellville on May 5.
Siloam Springs 1, Russellville 0
Russellville 0 0 -- 0
Siloam Springs 0 1 -- 1
Second half
Siloam Springs -- Jaci Hoelscher, 54th minute
Conway 2, Siloam Springs 1
CONWAY -- The Lady Panthers fell to 5-3 overall and 2-3 in 7A/6A-Central Conference play after a one-goal loss to the Class 7A Lady Wampus Cats on Friday.
Megan Hutto scored Siloam Springs' lone goal on the night.
The Lady Panthers return to action on Friday for a nonconference match at Class 7A Van Buren.
Sports on 04/19/2015