Garcia nets rare double hat trick to propel Lady Jacks to big opening match victory over Lakeside

LAKE VILLAGE, Ark. – The Warren Lady Jacks netted seven goals and kept a clean sheet as they defeated the Lakeside Lady Beavers 7-0 in the opening match of the 2023 Lady Jack Soccer season Monday evening, February 27 on the road at Lakeside.

Warren was dangerous from the outset. Leading the line was striker Tessa Andrus, a senior returning after a breakthrough season in 2022. She pulled a 30-yard effort wide left inside the first two minutes. Lady Jack Azul Garcia scored the first goal of the night in the third minute as she skipped past Lakeside’s left-center back and slotted home in the bottom left corner to put Warren up 1-0.

Top photo: Warren’s Azul Garcia knocks a shot past the Lakeside keeper Monday in Warren’s win over the Lady Beavers. Photo by Saline River Chronicle.

By Rob Reep

Saline River Chronicle

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Garcia wasted little time in finding her second of the night. She found the next again just three minutes later to push the Lady Jack lead to 2-0.

The orange and black continued to pepper Lakeside’s goal over the next ten minutes. The Lady Beavers had little reprieve. Warren maintained possession and seemed to live in the Lakeside half. Andrus hit the post on the 17-minute mark, a sign of more goals to come. The senior got her 2023 campaign off the mark on 19 minutes with a shot buried in the left corner to give Warren a 3-0 advantage.

Even when Lakeside found a few minutes on the ball, Warren’s back four shut down every threat. Part of that defense included Victoria O’Neill and Valeria Navarro, both playing in central positions.

Senior Lady Jack Tessa Andrus contributed a goal in Warren’s 7-0 win over Lakeside Monday to open the 2023 season. Photo by Saline River Chronicle.

Warren’s Ashley Rodriguez came close to scoring her first goal of the season, but the shot was just wayward.

Before the halftime break, Warren scored another two goals, both courtesy of Garcia, who took home her first hat trick of the season. She scored in minutes 26 and 29.

Everlyn Torres also nearly posted her first goal of the season in minute 34. The Lady Jacks dominated the middle of the park and looked especially dangerous down the right wing. Garcia and Andrus made things tick up front, posing a threat throughout the night.

Garcia snatched her fifth goal of the match just a minute into the second half. She found the net once more in the 51st minute after outpacing the final defender and knocking a low darting shot past the keeper for her sixth of the game.

Warren went on to defeat Lakeside by the final of 7-0.

The win gets the Lady Jacks off to just the dream start new head coach Julie Roberts would have hoped for. The Lady orange and black are now 1-0 on the season.

Lady Jack Azul Garcia was named the Que Lindo Michoacan Lady of the Match with six of Warren’s seven goals on the night.

Warren gets about a week break until their next match set for March 7 as they travel to Conway with kickoff set for 5:00 p.m.