Kipp nets hat trickFor two weeks, Powell High School head girls soccer coach Brad Hammond had been hinting that a breakout game might be just around the corner for his crew. On Monday, that game was delivered in a big way. Junior Katie Kipp connected on a hat trick and sophomore teammate Leslie Thronburg tagged the back of the net with a shot late to lift the Panthers to a 4-0 victory over Pinedale on Monday in Riverton. The win was the Panthers' first of the season and lifts Powell to fourth place in the 3A West conference. “Coming in, I felt like this was a game we should win, but those are always the ones that scare you as a coach,” said Hammond. “But the kids came out and played well. We were able to push a lot of people forward and play in the offensive zone quite a bit.”The Panthers wasted little time going on the attack on Monday, serving Kipp up the field and allowing the junior to strike for her first goal of the game less than three minutes into the action. Kipp added another goal midway through the first half to give Powell a 2-0 lead at intermission. Minutes into second-half play, Kipp found herself on the receiving end of a Panther corner kick and struck the ball off a Pinedale defender and into the net to wrap up her hat trick. The junior missed adding to her tally, firing wide on a penalty kick later in the half.“Katie had the best game of her soccer career,” said Hammond. “The entire team played really well.The Panthers tacked on their final goal late as sophomore Molly McCray found Thronburg with a nice cross, which she beat the keeper with into the net. “This was a huge lift for us,” said Hammond. “We were excited to get the win, to score a few goals and also the shutout. It made that ride home a lot easier.”Powell returns to action on Friday with a home game against Lander. The Panthers host Worland on Saturday.

Kipp nets hat trick

For two weeks, Powell High School head girls soccer coach Brad Hammond had been hinting that a breakout game might be just around the corner for his crew. On Monday, that game was delivered in a big way.

Junior Katie Kipp connected on a hat trick and sophomore teammate Leslie Thronburg tagged the back of the net with a shot late to lift the Panthers to a 4-0 victory over Pinedale on Monday in Riverton. The win was the Panthers' first of the season and lifts Powell to fourth place in the 3A West conference.

“Coming in, I felt like this was a game we should win, but those are always the ones that scare you as a coach,” said Hammond. “But the kids came out and played well. We were able to push a lot of people forward and play in the offensive zone quite a bit.”

The Panthers wasted little time going on the attack on Monday, serving Kipp up the field and allowing the junior to strike for her first goal of the game less than three minutes into the action.

Kipp added another goal midway through the first half to give Powell a 2-0 lead at intermission. Minutes into second-half play, Kipp found herself on the receiving end of a Panther corner kick and struck the ball off a Pinedale defender and into the net to wrap up her hat trick.

The junior missed adding to her tally, firing wide on a penalty kick later in the half.

“Katie had the best game of her soccer career,” said Hammond. “The entire team played really well.

The Panthers tacked on their final goal late as sophomore Molly McCray found Thronburg with a nice cross, which she beat the keeper with into the net.

“This was a huge lift for us,” said Hammond. “We were excited to get the win, to score a few goals and also the shutout. It made that ride home a lot easier.”

Powell returns to action on Friday with a home game against Lander. The Panthers host Worland on Saturday.