After a season-opening setback, the Groton Tigers have found their footing. The Tigers have outscored their last three foes by a combined total of 14-0, including a 2-0 girls’ soccer win over St. Thomas More at the Northern State Pavilion on Saturday morning.

Unlike a setback against defending state champion Sioux Falls Christian, Groton used its speed and quickness to win all the balls that could have gone either way against STM.

“That was our emphasis. We’ve been trying to win them more. When we played Sioux Falls Christian, we did not have good ones,” said Groton’s McKenna Tietz. “We were just trying to get the first touch, if it’s a dropped ball or those type of things. It’s like you’re fighting for it, you get that ball, because that’s how you win the game. You need to have those 50-50 balls.”

Tietz played a key role in Groton’s first score, dribbling down the sideline before firing a picture-perfect crossing pass to teammate Jerica Locke who put the ball in the back of the net.

“It was a beautiful, beautiful cross,” Locke said.

The timing and location of those passes can be tricky, but Locke read it all the way.

“I knew she was going to aim there. It’s actually really hard to determine where the ball’s really going to land,” Locke said. “So, then when I saw she didn’t have as much air on it, I said OK, I’m running straight to the front post, and then the ball just hit off my leg and went in.”

That duo has hooked up more than a few times for the Tigers on the pitch.

“They were two key contributors last year to our offensive attack,” said Groton coach Matt Baumgartner.

It was a memorable weekend for Locke, who scored seven goals the past two days, including one the senior never even put in the back of the net.

Locke fired a pass across the middle looking for Tietz. However, the ball actually hit a St. Thomas More player and bounced past the Cavaliers’ goalie into the net giving Groton a 2-0 lead.

Locke already has nine goals on the young season.

“Jerica does like to roam a lot and that’s really good for us, because we kind of like to keep the momentum on their (side of the pitch) and not let plays die out going forward,” Baumgartner said, “kind of want to become a team that (is) a nuisance to play against, keeping the ball in the attacking third is what we want.”

While Locke finds herself in the spotlight a lot, the senior captain said one of the two reasons she enjoys soccer so much is because of the team aspect.

“I like playing with my team, and soccer’s like you all have to move together, all 11 of you work together to make progress forward,” Locke said. “And then if one isn’t doing their job, then automatically the other team gets the ball and then they start moving, so it’s just like team bonding moving forward.”

Locke also thrives on the fast-paced energy of the game.

“And then just the attack part of it. It’s go, go, go,” Locke said. “When your team decides to go, there’s no step off the gas. It’s always gas.”

The Tigers received a rare opportunity to play on the artificial turf on the campus of Northern State. Tietz said the surface does make a noticeable difference.

“Definitely from our actual grass at home coming to a turf, it moves so much faster on the turf. And it’s a lot hotter, you just have to work to the conditions of it,” Tietz said. “You have to pick and choose when you’re going to go for a ball, especially on turf, it rolls so much faster, and if you know you’re not going to get there before it goes out, you gotta conserve your energy with it.”

Baumgartner said because the Tigers play quite a few road games this year, many on turf, Saturday’s contest was beneficial for his squad.

“We have a lot more road games this year, so we’re happy to be playing on turf,” Baumgartner said. “Turf is something we only played twice on last year.”

Groton will host Garretson on Thursday, before playing at Class AA Mitchell on Labor Day.

St. Thomas More 0 0 – 0

Groton 2 0 – 2

First Half: 1, G, Jerica Locke (McKenna Tietz), 36:57; 2, G, Locke (unassisted), 21:53.

Second Half: No scoring.

Goalie: Groton, Jaedyn Penning (2 saves).