East Bladen Girls Soccer Bounces Back with 6-1 Win Over South Columbus

East Bladen Soccer team photo. Credit: Layne Ross.

Elizabethtown, NC - The East Bladen girls soccer team delivered a statement win Wednesday night, rolling past South Columbus 6-1 in a spirited home performance that reflected both resilience and growth.

Coming off a tough loss to Trask earlier in the week, the Lady Eagles knew they had something to prove.

Head coach Jay Raynor was pleased with how his team responded.

“It was a great performance from the girls. It was a good response,” Raynor said. “The loss against Trask wasn’t who we are. We knew that how we responded against South was going to show exactly who we are and what we are about.”

Senior forward Jakie was electric from the opening whistle, showing flashes of her usual form as she nears full health.

She set the tone with relentless pressure and precision finishing, scoring four times and energizing her teammates early.

“Jakie is close to being 100% and she set the tone early,” said Raynor. “She found the back of the net four times tonight.”

One of the most memorable moments came when Bella capitalized on a second-chance opportunity, drilling a half-volley off the rebound of one of Jakie’s shots that had clanged off the crossbar. That strike doubled the lead and gave East Bladen breathing room.

“Bella put us two goals up with her half volley,” Raynor added.

Speed was another weapon for East Bladen, and NeNe brought plenty of it. Her relentless runs down the flanks created mismatches and opened lanes for her teammates throughout the match.

“NeNe’s speed was a huge factor as well,” Raynor said. “She caused them problems all night.”

In the midfield, Gabby and Anna anchored the team with grit and intelligence. They might not appear in the scoring column, but their contributions were unmistakable.

Whether it was intercepting passes, making smart decisions under pressure, or simply outworking their opponents, the duo laid the groundwork for East Bladen’s success.

“Gabby and Anna had big games for us. They do a lot,” Raynor emphasized. “A majority of what they do will never be recorded in a stat book… Their physicality and decision-making helped guide us to the result.”

Defensively, the Lady Eagles showed mental toughness. Just a day removed from the Trask defeat, the backline and goalkeepers bounced back with poise and focus.

They shut down South Columbus for long stretches, allowing just one goal and refusing to dwell on the past.

“The response from our backs and goalkeepers was a huge factor,” said Raynor. “They didn’t sulk… That’s hard to do. We are young in areas but that type of maturity and resilience says a lot about these girls.”

Injuries have shuffled the lineup this season, but the team continues to find answers. From top to bottom, different players have stepped up when their names have been called.

“We’re still learning a lot about each other,” Raynor said. “Injuries are taking girls off the field but we are able to get someone in there who can and makes a difference. That’s special!”

East Bladen now looks ahead to a rematch with Trask on Friday night, this time on the road. With renewed confidence and the lessons of the week behind them, the Lady Eagles will aim to show how far they’ve come.

With the win, East Bladen improves to 7-1-1 overall and 5-1 in conference play.

Roster: Michelle Quezada, Nevaeh Brown, Sana'a Singletary, Julia Flowers, Kayelynn Chambers, Abigail Miranda-Ventura, Jaziyeah Daniels, Mary Frances Sutton, Isabella Beard, Aubri Nixon, Lynn Escobar Perez, Kenley Parks, NeNe Ward, Jackie Medina-Leal, Leanh McGill, Gabriela Rebollar, Anna Miranda, Kaelyn Eason, Marlee Potter, Lexi Ventura, Macey Potter, Annika Bass.

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East Bladen Girls Soccer Bounces Back with 6-1 Win Over South Columbus