The scoreboard told one story, but both sidelines understood there was more beneath the surface as Union rolled past West Columbus 14-0 in a mercy-rule shortened soccer matchup.
From the opening whistle, the Lady Spartans imposed their will. In just the first three minutes, Union found the back of the net three times, setting the tone for what quickly became a lopsided affair. The pressure never let up, and by the time the clock dipped under eight minutes remaining in the first half, Union had built an 8-0 advantage and was already threatening to end the evening early.
Even after rotating in reserves and attempting to dial things back, Union continued to capitalize, eventually stretching the lead to 14-0 before halftime, which brought the contest to a close.
Despite the margin, Union head coach Daniel Rishworth was quick to shift the focus away from the scoreline.
“No game is easy,” Rishworth explained. “We don’t come out here with the intention of embarrassing anyone. Quite frankly, I want to talk good on West Columbus because they have a shape, they have a structure, they pass the ball. They even have a kickoff routine that almost surprised us two or three times. There’s a good team in the making there.”
Union’s depth was on full display throughout the half, with multiple players contributing offensively. Sophomore Evelin Alverez led the charge with a hat trick, while senior Aileen Serrano added two goals. Iveth Garcia, Katherine Cruz, Aris Rodriguez, and Angelica Vega each found the net as well, with several reserves adding goals late in the half.
The match also provided valuable opportunities for younger players, many of whom stepped into unfamiliar roles.
“There’s a lot of players that played today that were out of position and doing things they don’t normally do,” Rishworth noted. “Teenagers think about goals all the time. I’ll be the first to say it’s not all about goals, but I’m happy they got their opportunity to score today.”
While Union controlled every phase of the game, West Columbus head coach Heather Herring emphasized the bigger picture for her program, which continues to battle through a challenging season with a limited roster of just over a dozen players.
“I think we’re learning more about playing the game and techniques,” Herring said. “We are a young team, and we struggle to get enough players, so right now it’s about learning what needs to be done and when to do it, and working with what we have.”
That effort, she added, is rooted in resilience.
“This is all we’ve got,” Herring expressed. “We tell them every day, every game, we’ve got to fight for what we’re going to get because we don’t have anybody to sub in. They’ve got to want it. That’s what we’re working on—building that up.”
Even in defeat, Herring sees signs of growth that could pay off down the line.
“That’s the plan,” she said of building a foundation. “One step at a time. That’s all we can do.”
Rishworth echoed that sentiment, expressing confidence in the Vikings’ future despite the result.
“This is the last time we play them, but they’re going to beat someone this year,” he said. “That’s a strong team, and West Columbus is going to do very well in the future.”
For Union, the dominant win serves as momentum heading into a key matchup with Hobbton, though Rishworth remained grounded in his approach.
“Every game’s a new game,” he said. “You go into it thinking, ‘what are we going to do to win?’ We learn from the last one and keep moving forward.”
Union will look to carry that mindset — and its high-powered attack — throughout the rest of the season, while West Columbus continues its steady climb toward building a competitive program. Grab a copy of Saturday’s edition for a full recap of Union’s matchup against Hobbton as both programs battle for the top of the conference.