WCHS hoped that it would be different than 2019, a forgettable 1-13 season in which the Lynx lost eight times by eight or more goals and were outscored by 98 goals, but no one really knew.

Well, now they do know. And the message afterward was that this isn’t 2019. Not even close.

WCHS might not have won its season debut — Garner-Hayfield/Ventura erased those hopes with the winning goal in the 53rd minute for a 2-1 victory — but the Lynx fight and determination was a clear step in the right direction.

“I’m so proud of the team and I just know that we can build off this moment,” WCHS junior midfielder Shelby Queen, who scored her team’s lone goal, said. “It really is relief because we didn’t know what to expect, but now I know and the whole team knows we can progress from here.”

Webster City’s Adalie Peterson (17) and GHV’s Sarah Sokol (11) battle for the ball on Tuesday at Lynx Field in Webster City. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

GHV (3-0) beat the Lynx (0-1) twice in 2019 by a combined 17 goals, but nothing came easy for the Cardinals on Tuesday. With the howling winds at their backs, the Lynx took the lead in the 17th minute and held it until the 34th.

“It was a see what happens type of thing for us because this was their third game, so they had a lot more actual game experience than we did,” WCHS head coach Paul Baedke said. “I’m really excited with the way we played. I think we’ve got a pretty good chance to have a good season.”

GHV held edges in shots (15-9), shots on goal (7-4) and corner kicks (3-2), but it was a nail-biter right down to the final buzzer. WCHS had two looks at a potential equalizer as the clock dipped under 10 minutes, but Cardinals’ goalkeeper Chloe Frank was able to corral both shots to keep her team in front.

Queen’s fourth career goal injected a heavy dose of adrenaline into the Lynx, as they controlled the opening 20 minutes of the match. Leah Kasch, the team’s leading returning scorer, rifled a pass from the middle down the field and Queen out-raced two defenders to the ball. She was able to get a one-on-one look against Frank and blasted it just outside the goalkeeper’s outstretched arms and into the left side of the goal.

“Leah had a really good pass up to me and, I’ll admit, I about fell and I thought I was going to,” Queen said while laughing. “But I was able to sprint pass the defenders and kick it in.”

WCHS defender Rori Snethen (right) blocks a Garner-Hayfield/Ventura run at the goal during the first half Tuesday night at Lynx Field. The Cardinals knocked off WCHS, 2-1. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

The excitement eventually took a toll on WCHS though, as the legs grew heavy over the final 20 minutes of the first half. GHV eventually took control and put the Lynx defense to work. The back line of Katie Piaszynski, Rori Snethen and Abilene Sosa held strong for as long as it could.

“The defense hustled all over the place and really shut them down,” Baedke said.

A fortuitous bounce allowed GHV to draw even before the half. A blast from the left side of the box smacked off the forehead of WCHS goalkeeper Maddie Pulis, who was forced to dive to stop the shot, but it landed right at the foot of Becca Hejlik, who was able to punch it into the open net.

The match-winning goal came during a 15-second span that WCHS would love to have back.

Attempting to clear the ball out of the box, a misdirected pass went right to the Cardinals’ Jenna Pringnitz 10 yards away. With an unobstructed view, she was able to chip a high shot over the head of Pulis and it snuck inside the right post in the 53rd minute.

Lynx goalkeeper Maddie Pulis collects one of her five saves on Tuesday. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Pulis, a freshman making her first start in net, collected five saves on the night.

Galvanized by their first outing, the Lynx will attempt to scratch into the win column on Friday when they host Iowa Falls-Alden (1-1) at 5:30 p.m.

GHV 2, WCHS 1

Tuesday at Webster City

GHV 1 1 — 2

WCHS defender Abilene Sosa (24) challenges during the first half on Tuesday. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

WCHS 1 0 — 1

Goals — GHV: Becca Hejlik (unassisted, 34′), Jenna Pringnitz (unassisted, 53′); WCHS: Shelby Queen (Leah Kasch assist, 17′). Shots — GHV 15, WCHS 9. Shots on goal — GHV 7, WCHS 4. Saves — GHV 3 (Chloe Frank), WCHS 5 (Maddie Pulis). Corner kicks — GHV 3, WCHS 2.