WASECA -- After scoring a goal 11 minutes into the game Monday, the ninth-seeded Worthington Trojans found the net three times in the second half to earn a 4-0 victory over eighth-seeded Waseca in the opening round of the Section 2A girls' soccer tournament.
Worthington (7-6-1), which won its fifth straight game, advances to Thursday's quarterfinals. The Trojans will play at top-seeded Albert Lea at a time to be announced.
"We played a good game and were aggressive to the ball tonight," Worthington head coach Smitty Ektnitphong said. "We controlled the ball most of the time, and our defense played tough when Waseca did have chances to score."
Nicole Ektnitphong scored Worthington's first goal 11 minutes into the first half, as she took a pass from Gabby Boever and put the ball in the goal from 14 yards out.
Worthington goaltender Emily Penning, who stopped 12 shots to pick up her second shutout of the season, made a couple of nice saves in the first half's closing minutes to keep the Trojans in front by a goal.
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Boever made it 2-0 eight minutes into the second half, as she banged a penalty kick past Waseca's goalie to the upper right-hand corner of the net.
Boever scored again six minutes later, and Alina Keodauangsy took a pass from Ektnitphong and scored with 13 minutes remaining to give Worthington a 4-0 lead -- which Penning and the Trojans' defense made stand up.
Worthington outshot the Bluejays 18-12.
"We won most of the 50-50 balls and dictated how the game was played with our aggressiveness," Ektnitphong said. "We were focused from start to finish, and we'll need a similar effort on Thursday against Albert Lea."
