Free State High’s girls soccer team was due and so was its opponent. But only one of them could win Monday afternoon, and the Firebirds prevailed in a 4-0 victory over Junction City at FSHS.

Both programs entered the game with only one victory, but the Firebirds (2-10-1) was quicker to the ball than the Blue Jays (1-11).

Before Free State returns to Sunflower League action today against Olathe East, “the shoe was on the other foot,” Free State coach Jason Pendleton said.

“I think today’s opponent — despite giving outstanding effort and competing really hard — was a little overmatched,” he said, “and we were able to have success that we haven’t had previously simply because we were a little more athletic.”

Monday’s decision basically went back to the old tag line that a win’s a win.

“I think it just makes us realize that we can do well,” freshman forward Leah Williams said. “Our conference is really tough. I think playing a maybe lesser (non-conference) opponent made us realize we have some ability.”

Free State had a brief slow start but then began to put the fire back in Firebirds nine minutes into the first half.

“We picked it up, and we realized that this was an opportunity,” Free State sophomore Clare Robinson said.

After the Firebirds flirted with the scoreboard as a result of several shots clanking of the crossbar and goal post, Free State finally scored in the 11th minute. FSHS senior Claire Wilkinson rattled a shot of the crossbar, but Williams was there for a quick putback into the right corner.

Free State High's Clare Robinson (2) passes the ball up to Claire Wilkinson while being defended by Junction City's Kristina McDowell, left. The Firebirds won their nonleague game with the Blue Jays, 4-0, on Monday at FSHS.

One minute later it was Williams with a precise centering pass that found the foot of sophomore Jenni Brooks for an early 2-0 FSHS edge.

In the 54th minute, Robinson led freshman forward Alexa Moreno, who beat a pack of Junction City defenders before slicing to the net and slipping a shot between the left goal post and goalkeeper Jacinda Walborn.

Moreno registered her second goal of the game courtesy of a pin-point centering pass from Sarita Mahiny.

Pendleton said after Sunday’s 1-0 double-overtime loss to Topeka Hayden that he wanted his relatively young team to not only “play hard” but to “play well.”

Free State High's Jenni Brooks brings the ball up against Junction City. Brooks scored a goal in the Firebirds' 4-0 victory Monday at FSHS.

The players now see that happening.

“We’re not just playing hard,” Robinson said. “We’re playing hard with a purpose.”

As in previous games, a large amount of the offensive load was carried by a group of freshman — if you can still call them that — including Williams and Moreno.

“At this point they’re not really freshmen anymore,” Pendleton said. “There’s only a few weeks of school left so they’re more like sophomores than they are freshmen.

“They’re playing well at times. They just have to find that consistency to play well all the time.”

Free State will play today at Olathe East before its final home game Thursday against Olathe North.