Carrie Skahan and her Lawrence High teammates had some extra incentive to play well Monday night.

It seems LHS girls soccer coach Keith Nelson told his players that if they gave up a goal within the first 10 minutes of the game the team would be in for a tough practice afterward.

“Keith promised us a practice of running until we puked if we didn’t do well in the beginning,” Skahan, a senior, said with a straight face. “That made us work hard.”

Nelson threatened the team with the extra practice because he was peeved his squad had surrendered four goals during the first 10 minutes of its past two games. His Lions answered the challenge, ending a three-game losing skid with a 1-0 victory over Shawnee Mission Northwest on Monday at the Youth Sports Inc. fields.

“The last two games we got behind early,” Nelson said. “But after the first 10 minutes I think we outplayed Shawnee Mission South and (Topeka) Washburn Rural.”

Nelson told the Lions (3-4-1) that if they made it past the 10-minute mark without allowing a goal the game would be theirs.

He was right.

The Lions’ offense dominated early but failed to get a shot on goal until junior Kara Roelofs found senior forward Sam Lopez in front of the right side of the goal. Cougar goalkeeper Christine Herdman came out to challenge Lopez, but the LHS senior poked the ball past Herdman in the 10th minute.

The Lions outshot SM Northwest, 4-1, in the first half.

In the second half, Northwest coach Bill Warne changed his game plan after a moribund first 40 minutes and the Cougars outshot Lawrence, 8-4.

“He switched up players and did the things he had to do to get his team back in the game,” Nelson said of Warne. “But our girls did everything we needed to do to get the win.”

Northwest had three legitimate scoring chances after half time, but each time the ball barely missed the net and instead bounced past the uprights.

Cougar freshman forward Laren Isenhower threatened the Lion defense on three occasions with fast breaks down the left sideline.

“I’ve never seen someone so fast on a team in this league before,” Nelson said of Isenhower.

LHS junior goalkeeper Halston McAtee posted the shutout, the Lions’ third of the season.

Lopez, who scored the lone goal, injured her left ankle with 15 minutes left. Cougar Erin Elam accidentally stepped on the ankle and the Lawrence senior fell to the ground. After trainers checked her, she was carried off the field and did not return.

“She’ll be OK,” Nelson said. “She’s tough, she’ll be back.”

LHS will play host to Topeka at 7 tonight at YSI.

Lawrence 1,

Shawnee Mission Northwest 0

Shawnee Mission Northwest 0 0 Â 0

Lawrence 1 0 Â 1

Lawrence (3-4-1): Samantha Lopez 10th minute (Kara Roelofs assist). Shutout by Halston McAtee.