For the opening 20 minutes, it looked like it could be a battle to the final whistle.
By the end of the night, the Clinton Lady Dark Horses made sure there would be no doubt.
Behind a dominant second-half surge and a five-goal performance from Jenna Jackson, Clinton pulled away from visiting Hobbton for a 6-1 victory.
Both sides spent the early portion of the match feeling each other out, exchanging possession and looking for opportunities to break through.
Clinton found that opening quickly.
At the 4:11 mark, Jackson struck first, putting the Lady Dark Horses ahead 1-0 and setting the tone early.
Clinton continued to apply pressure, earning back-to-back corner opportunities at the 13:33 mark, but Hobbton’s defense stood tall and cleared both chances to keep the deficit at one.
Moments later, Katie Hales fired a shot on goal that appeared destined for the back of the net, but Lady Wildcat goalkeeper Neydi Montes delivered a diving save to keep Hobbton within striking distance.
Hobbton answered with a strong push of its own.
Anna Lovitt came up with a key save for Clinton after Denisse Jorge-Garcia created an opportunity on goal, giving the Lady Wildcats a spark offensively.
That spark turned into a breakthrough.
At the 21:31 mark, Jorge-Garcia broke free and found the back of the net, leveling the match at 1-1.
The tie would not last long.
At the 26:07 mark, Clinton capitalized on a loose ball in front of the net after Hobbton’s goalkeeper came out to make a play but was unable to secure it. The Lady Dark Horses regained the lead at 2-1, a score that held through halftime.
While the first half remained competitive, the second half told a completely different story.
Clinton came out of the break with renewed energy and control, making key adjustments that quickly shifted momentum.
The Lady Dark Horses poured in four unanswered goals, stretching the lead out of reach. The fifth and sixth goals came in quick succession, with the final strike finding the net around the 67th minute to cap off a dominant stretch.
Jackson led the charge with five goals on the night, while Jenna Grace Rose added the sixth to round out the scoring.
After the match, Clinton head coach Adam Smith pointed to the team’s halftime response as the difference.
“The girls came together,” Smith said. “First half was bad. We didn’t play really well. Second half, we turned it around, made some adjustments. So I’m proud of them for answering the call.”
Despite the lopsided final score, Smith credited Hobbton for its effort.
“Hobbton didn’t make it easy for us, and they never do,” Smith noted. “They’re a good team, really good team, and they’re well coached as well. So I’m just happy for the girls.”
With conference play approaching, Smith emphasized the importance of matchups like this in preparing his squad.
“We always try to schedule good non-conference games to prepare for conference,” he explained. “We’re in a new conference this year, so we don’t really know what a whole lot of the teams have. That’s why we make sure we schedule strong competition to set us up.”
On the other side, Hobbton head coach Juan Sanchez remained focused on growth despite the result.
“It’s tough playing a team like Clinton, but we’re working to improve,” Sanchez said. “One of our challenges is not having enough players to make substitutions, so that affects us.”
Even with those challenges, Sanchez emphasized the mentality his team is continuing to build.
“We’ve lost some players, but we always try to stay positive and keep pushing forward,” he added. “Our practices are tough, and we push them to grow not just as players, but as people. We want them to always keep that competitive mindset no matter what the scoreboard says.”
Hobbton’s quick turnaround did not make things any easier, as the Lady Wildcats returned to conference play the following day, falling at home to North Duplin by a score of 3-0.
Clinton’s win showcased both its offensive firepower and ability to adjust midgame, turning a competitive first half into a commanding finish.