Comet girls soccer team defeats MFL MarMac 2-1 for historic first varsity victory

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — Early into its third season of existence, the Charles City girls soccer team reached a milestone.

First varsity victory in school history.

The event occurred on Tuesday — April 8, 2025 for epochal sake — with the Comets defeating MFL MarMac 2-1 at Comet Field.

Comet sophomore midfielder Nevaeh Bloker scored both of her team’s goals, including what soon proved to be the match-winner with 35.2 seconds left in regulation.

The win came five days after Charles City played its first varsity girls match — an 8-0 loss on the road against New Hampton.

Charles City started a girls soccer program ahead of the 2023 season but limited itself to a junior varsity and exhibition schedule only for the first two seasons due to lack of experience.

For this season, Charles City and head coach Hayley Sheahan decided the program was ready for “prime time”.

“It’s just a matter of getting them to believe in themselves,” Sheahan said. “A victory like this can only help their confidence.”

The first half was a defensive struggle, but it did test the mettle of Comet junior keeper Kayla Streich, who was frequently under attack but managed to stop repeated shots on goal as the teams remained locked in a 0-0 tie all the way to intermission.

Charles City was able to produce numerous breakaway scoring opportunities with senior forwards Sakira Brown and Destiny Kolheim getting loose for one-on-one encounters with Bulldog keeper Alex McElwaine, who repeatedly thwarted the threats.

“This may be an unofficial count, but we had 18 shots on goal,” Sheahan said. “We could have scored more goals, and that’s what we’re going to be talking about during our next practice.”

With 31:22 left in the second half, Bloker — with fellow Comet senior Brooklyn Molitor assisting — scored from 25 yards out to break the scoreless tie as well as score the first varsity goal in Comet girls soccer history.

About four minutes later, Bulldog freshman Addison Corlett took advantage of a little confusion in front of Charles City’s goal where numerous players congregated en masse during a corner kick to get the uncleared ball past an all-out diving Streich to even the match.

Fans from both sides were on the edge of their chilled seats with both teams posing numerous scoring threats during the final 10 minutes of the match. But when regulation got under a minute, a draw seemed imminent as there are no overtime periods or shootouts at the end of regular-season soccer matches that end in a tie.

Finally, Bloker let another shot fly about five yards back from her previous scoring kick. McElwaine reached up to get both of her gloved hands on the ball, but the shot was too hot to handle as it slipped through her grasp and into the goal.