FAIRFIELD — Emma Rhodis got the Badin High School girls soccer team started on Monday, and Morgan Creech finished it.
Rhodis knocked in an early first-half goal, Creech booted one into the net for good measure down the stretch and Badin beat Fairfield 2-0 at Christy Rose Dennis Memorial Soccer Stadium.
The match was part of Fairfield’s Mental Health Awareness games in cooperation with The 988 Initiative.
“We’ve been struggling a little bit this season on the finishing aspects — putting that first goal in and giving us that complete momentum,” said Rhodis, a senior midfielder. “If we didn’t have that first goal, I don’t know if we put a second one in. That kept our minds into the game and focused.”
Both teams, who tied the last two meetings (3-3, 2022; 0-0, 2021), were searching for their first victory of the season. Badin moves to 1-2-1, while Fairfield slipped to 0-3-1.
The Rams were on the attack for most of the game, and the Indians were held to just five shots on goal — all of them coming in the second half. Badin’s Blake Sakach had a clean slate at keeper, while Fairfield’s Kate Rimer collected four saves.
“I thought we played well and had two good halves,” Badin coach Chris Slusher said. “We came to compete. It’s a rivalry. I love it. I love that this game is made for the community with two great teams.”
Fairfield coach Steve Thomas said the Rams outplayed his squad, but the Indians had their opportunities to score.
“I think we performed much better in the second half,” Thomas said. “I think if we would have finished the chance that Olivia (Stroud) had, it changes the complexion of the game.
“Hats off to Badin. They played exceptionally well,” Thomas added. “They outworked us in the first half. I think we matched them in the second half. It’s just one of those things where the ball sometimes doesn’t go the way you want it to.”
After scoring all three goals in a 3-3 tie against Mercy McAuley last week, Creech came up big again on Monday.
The senior forward received a touch pass from sophomore Braelyn Even to set up an easy look at the goal. Creech sent it into the left side of the net to give Badin a 2-0 lead with just under seven minutes left to play.
“I think I had maybe two touches, and I just hit it in the left corner,” Creech said. “It was a wide-open shot. Braelyn had a perfect touch to slip me in. Their defenders weren’t ready. “I think we’re just now finding out in each game what works for us,” Creech added. “Each game is going to be different. In this one, I think slotting balls through and taking as many hits is what worked for us. This game is going to help us keep moving forward.”
The Indians open up Greater Miami Conference play at Lakota East on Thursday. The Rams won’t get back to action until next Wednesday in a Greater Catholic League Coed opener at Alter.
“There is no big game on our schedule,” Slusher said. “Every game is a big game. There’s no relief because we’ve got Alter next.”
Thomas also noted that Fairfield’s slate isn’t a cakewalk either.
“We’re a much better team than what our record shows,” he said. “We don’t play any easy games. We have a lot of talent that can go up against anyone. We have some exceptional girls that could play at the next level. We just haven’t been able to put it all together in the same game.”
