Wingers snap losing skid

Red Wing senior Kaitlin Bischoff helped put an end to a six-game losing streak for the Wingers girls soccer team Thursday by scoring the lone goal in a 1-0 victory over New Prague in Red Wing.

Bischoff scored with 1 minute, 54 seconds remaining in the first half and the goal stood up despite the Wingers (2-8, 1-4 Missota) outshooting the Trojans 32-7.

Red Wing eighth-grader Maddy Hardyman hit Bischoff in stride on a diagonal run that caught the New Prague defense sleeping and Bischoff hit a far-post strike to give the Wingers the lead.

The connection showcased the team’s growing acceptance of the team’s new system and its blossoming ability to score. After scoring just seven goals last season Red Wing has 12 this season.

“That’s something we were talking about after the game - the chemistry on the team is starting to click,” Wingers head coach Dusty Beckman said. “We’re starting to find out who works well on the attack.”

Red Wing finished with 13 shots on goal but still struggled with finishing, especially close. The Wingers hit two posts and had shots that went directly at New Prague’s keeper, Beckman said.

“We’re not familiar with getting the ball right in front of the net,” Beckman said.

Though Red Wing did not score in the second half, Beckman said the team possessed the ball in New Prague territory for the majority of the half. That sustained pressure came from the team adopting more of a possession-based attack, something Beckman has sought to instill since taking over as head coach this season.

“They just did well possessing the ball in the second half,” Beckman said. “They began to see the open space it created.”

The Wingers face Winona Saturday at 10 a.m. in the Lake City Invitational. Winona beat Red Wing 2-1 in the fourth game of the season and is where Beckman used to coach.

Wingers fall to Chaska

Red Wing fell 5-2 Tuesday to Chaska in Chaska.

Kaitlin Bischoff and Dani Welscher scored for the Wingers in the loss.

Tags: red wing, sports, prep, soccer