FAYETTEVILLE -- It was the Amalie Gunn show Friday afternoon at Razorback Field.
The Central Arkansas Christian senior midfielder scored a state-record six goals in a 7-1 victory over Joe T. Robinson in the Class 4A girls state championship match on the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville campus.
"A special individual performance by her," CAC Coach Carter Lambert said. "I'm just proud for her. I'm happy for her as a senior to have that type of experience."
It was CAC's seventh state championship, the most for a girls soccer team in Arkansas. The Lady Mustangs (18-0-1) also won in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2013 and 2016.
Gunn surpassed the state's previous record for most goals in a match, which was five by Cori Keller of Stuttgart according to the Arkansas Activities Association's record book. She had four goals in the first half to help CAC lead 4-1 at halftime and added two more in the second half.
"God gave me a talent. This is the last time I can use it," said Gunn, who will compete in track and field at Missouri State University next season. "I was going to play the best that I could."
Before Friday's match, Gunn had played seven matches and had 11 goals as she instead focused more on track and field at CAC this season. She was second in the 400-meter run and third in the 100- and 200-meter races at the Class 4A state track and field meet May 2 in Paragould.
Gunn rejoined the CAC soccer team May 11 and scored two goals in the Lady Mustangs' 8-0 victory over Brookland in the Class 4A first round at Southside Batesville. Two days later against Dardanelle in the semifinals, Gunn scored four times in a 7-0 victory.
Lambert appreciated his team for allowing Gunn to come back to the team in a seamless fashion.
"When you're having a lot of success as a team and have somebody like her come back, it says a lot to the character of the team to integrate her back in," Lambert said. "They're a family. They love each other.
"I'm proud of Amalie, but I'm proud of our team, too."
On Friday, Gunn's impact was felt early, giving CAC a 1-0 lead in the eighth minute of the first half.
Gunn then scored on a breakaway, putting the ball to the right side of Robinson goalkeeper Riley Holman for a 2-0 lead in the 11th minute.
Gunn's third goal in the 17th minute gave her a hat trick and the Lady Mustangs a 3-0 advantage.
Robinson's MacKenzie Fredericks scored in the 24th minute on a 40-yard kick that sailed past CAC goalkeeper Madyson Bowman.
Gunn gave the Lady Mustangs a three-goal lead once again with 7:27 left in the half.
In the second half, the Lady Mustangs turned the Gunn two more times.
Gunn scored at 34:19 and 19:47 to make it 6-1 CAC. Lauren Johnson's goal with 10:31 left extended the lead to 7-1, invoking the Arkansas Activities Association's sportsmanship rule (a six-goal lead in soccer).
Robinson Coach Todd Eskola, whose team lost three previous times to CAC this season before Friday, said with Gunn, the Lady Mustangs were too much to overcome.
"CAC would win any classification in Arkansas now that she's back," Eskola said of Gunn. "They are the best team in the state."
Robinson (13-5) began its girls soccer program in 2015, with Eskola, also the school's head football coach, in charge. He's excited about the future of the Senators program, despite Friday's loss.
"We've made it here. Now we see what the bar is," Eskola said. "We're excited about coming back."
Sports on 05/20/2017