Five first-half goals conceded in a 10-minute span sent Bemidji girls soccer to a heavy 7-0 defeat to Rogers on Saturday at Rogers High School.
Getting a big test from their former Section 8AAA foe, the Lumberjacks were thankful to see the match stay scoreless at the 15-minute mark after the Royals struck the post on one of the game’s first good chances.
Bemidji had seen very little of the ball in the first quarter hour, but had a golden opportunity go begging moments after Rogers struck the woodwork. A free kick from midfield bounced through to forward Hannah Voge, but the senior’s strike sailed over the bar from just a few yards away.
It was only moments later in the 18th minute that Rogers took the lead by way of a blocked clearance by Ashlyn O’Malley that the Royals’ top scorer turned into a composed finish one-on-one against Clara Bieber in Bemidji’s net.
The goal rapidly opened the floodgates in favor of the hosts, who took to set pieces to pour in two more goals in the 19th and 20th minutes. Abbey Elmquist belted a first-time strike from the middle of the area to double the lead before Piper Carisch nodded in on the back post to complete a stunning three-goal salvo in just over two minutes.
Things worsened for the Jacks in the 25th minute on a rebounded finish by Clare Austin after a shot from distance struck the crossbar.
Addisen Klein completed the five-goal burst in the 28th minute by crashing the back post to convert at close range on a teasing cross from the flank.
A change in Bemidji’s goal at halftime brought freshman Hayden Seitz into the action, and she was quickly called upon to stop a near-own goal by the Lumberjacks after another cross was swung into the penalty area.
Rogers still poured in two more goals in the first ten minutes of the second half, first through Sammy Reimann and then on a second of the match by Elmquist.
The Lumberjacks tried to find a consolation goal, but efforts from both Lily Paquette and Izzy Renn–the latter’s striking the woodwork–went without payoff.
Bieber posted three saves in the first half, while Seitz made four saves in the second.
The loss dropped Bemidji to 4-4 overall.