Garden City’s deep and physical soccer team overpowered Great Bend 4-0 in Thursday’s Western Athletic Conference soccer opener.
After trailing 3-0 at halftime, Great Bend (2-1, 0-1 WAC) played better after halftime. Garden City (4-1, 1-0) earned its fourth consecutive victory as Elyssa Salazar scored in the seventh and 15 minutes for a 2-0 lead. The Buffaloes have outscored their opponents 12-1 during the winning streak. Garden City’s Makaylee Longoria added goals in the 38th and 64th minutes.
“Garden City is a big, physical team and it us time to adjust,” said Great Bend coach Margarita Ayala. “We did play great in the second half. We dropped better defensively in the second half and slowed them down.”
Garden City featured more than 40 players and used its quality depth to sub players in and out during the game.
“They had players to sub-in, which they took advantage of,” Ayala said. “We’re off to a good start. We showed improvement and will continue to get better as a team.”
Ayala said it was a challenge to string together an offensive attack.
“We had a few quality shots,” Ayala said.
The Panthers play at Dodge City April 9.

WESTERN ATHLETIC GIRLS
Garden City 2-0 6-1
Hays High 2-0-1 5-2-1
Great Bend 1-2 3-2
Dodge City 1-2 2-6
Liberal 0-2-1 1-6-1
MONDAY
Great Bend 2, Dodge City 1
Garden City 1, Liberal 0 (OT)
Hays 5, Junction City 1
TUESDAY
Hays High 2, Great Bend 0
THURSDAY
Dodge City at Garden City
Liberal at Great Bend

GARDEN CITY (2-0, 6-1)—Goddard Tournament (L Goddard 2-3; W Buhler 1-0; W Rose Hill 3-0) W Guymon, Okla. 5-1; W * Great Bend 4-0; W Wichita Trinity 5-0; W *Liberal 1-0; 4-12—*Dodge City; 4-16—*at Hays High; 4-17—*Great Bend; 4-24—*at Dodge City; 4-30—*Hays High; 5-3—at Hays-TMP; 5-8—*Garden City

HAYS HIGH (2-0-1, 5-2-1)—W Wichita Life; McPherson Tournament (L Topeka 0-1, L Salina South 0-1, W Augusta 3-1); W *Dodge City 1-0; TIE *Liberal 0-0; W Junction City 5-1; W *Great Bend 2-0; 4-16—*Garden City; 4-19—*Liberal; 4-21—at Maize South; 4-23—*at Great Bend; 4-26—Hays-TMP; 4-30—*at Garden City; 5-3—*at Dodge City; 5-10—Wichita Trinity

GREAT BEND (1-2, 3-2)—W Wichita Independent 7-2; W Emporia 2-1; L Garden City 0-4; W *Dodge City 2-1; L *Hays High 0-2; 4-12—*Liberal; 4-17—*at Garden City; 4-19—Hays-TMP: 4-23—*Hays High; 4-26—*at Dodge City; 4-27—*at Liberal; 4-30—at Hays-TMP; 5-1—Wichita Southeast; 5-3—at Buhler; 5-7—at Manhattan; 5-10—at Junction City

DODGE CITY (1-2, 2-6)—L SM South 0-6; Titan Classic (L Wichita Kapaun-Mt. Carmel 1-6; W Liberal 1-0 OT; L Wichita Northwest); W *Liberal 1-0; L *Hays High 0-1; L Hays-TMP 1-2; L *Great Bend 1-2; 4-12—*at Garden City; 4-17—Wichita Trinity; 4-24—*Garden City; 4-26—*at Great Bend; 5-1—at Wichita South; 5-3—*Hays High; 5-10—*at Liberal

LIBERAL (0-2-1, 1-6-1)—W Wichita Classical 4-1; Titan Classic (L Wichita Carroll 0-6; L Dodge City 0-1, OT; L Wichita East); L *Dodge City 0-1; TIE *Hays High 0-0; L *Garden City 0-1; 4-12—*at Great Bend; 4-13—*Great Bend; 4-17—at Hays-TMP; 4-19—*at Hays High; 4-30—at Wichita North Tournament; 5-8—*at Garden City; 5-10—*Dodge City