Much like the lightning strikes in the distance soon after the final whistle, Baylor’s attack was electric to start another promising girls’ soccer season.
Sparked by a youthful influx of talent, the Lady Red Raiders boomed 21 shots in a 5-1 home victory over East Hamilton in a match sophomore midfielder Melissa Oliveira will not soon forget.
Oliveira registered a hat trick just 43 minutes into her new journey with a Division II-AA perennial power. Her footwork and dribbling wowed many in the crowd, while her teammates put her in great position to finish.
“Last year I played in Brazil, and I am proud to be here to help this team,” said Oliveira, who would’ve scored her third goal in the 23rd minute off a beautiful three-touch connection through the air if not for an offside call. “This win came down to group work. My teammates helped me. It was a good start and I think this season is going to be a good one for us.”
One of the surprise stories of last season in its run to the Class AA state tournament after an 0-11-1 start, East Hamilton was held without a shot in the first half of its 2019 opener.