OR soccer stuns powerhouse Bearden 3-2
Oak Ridge’s Noel Norstedt drives the ball upfield Thursday night against perennial state power Bearden. Norstedt’s effort helped the Lady Wildcats notch a historic 3-2 victory, one of the program’s biggest wins. (photo:Kirah Colston | ORHS Sports Media )
The Lady Wildcats braved heavy rain and flashes of lightning to travel to West Knoxville, where they stunned perennial Class AAA power Bearden with a 3-2 victory Thursday at Turner-Allender Field. All five goals came in a frenetic first half.
The junior varsity match was canceled, and the varsity game, originally set for 6 p.m., was pushed back a half hour.
“I told them that we were on the road and we were coming,” Oak Ridge Coach Trenna Underwood said.
“We had some lightning, but we started about 6:30.”
Once play began, the match turned into a back-and-forth shootout.
“They scored and then we scored; they scored again, we answered, and then we scored again,” Underwood said.
Junior forward Hayven Laurendine was the difference, recording a hat trick for Oak Ridge.
She also scored in the Lady Wildcats’ 3-1 loss to Chattanooga Christian earlier in the week.
“Once we scored that first goal, we knew we could play with Bearden,” Underwood said.
“When we got ahead, I don’t think they were prepared for that. We made the move and put Hayven at forward, and when we did that, she just took off.”
Underwood also praised goalkeeper Marleigh Frazier and her younger sister, Madelyn, who anchored the Oak Ridge defense.
“Hayven and Marleigh had to be our players of the game, and Madelyn was big for us in the back,” Underwood said. “This, without a doubt, was the biggest win we’ve had since I’ve been here. It’s the biggest win we’ve had in years.”
