Brent Wildman knew what it would take to beat Concord, a team with more skill and experience than his Warsaw squad.

Despite sporting an unblemished 5-0-2 mark heading into the Northern Lakes Conference matchup, Wildman knew that getting past Concord would not be easy. But it would be necessary for Warsaw to take the next step in the development of its program.

For a win against the Minutemen would bring Warsaw a step closer to the first NLC girls soccer crown.

And Wildman laid out the plan to his Tigers - be aggressive and don't let the ball stay on the ground long.

Message heard and mission accomplished.

Warsaw took it right to Concord and came away with a big 3-1 win Thursday at the City-County Athletic Complex.

The victory gives Warsaw a 3-0 record in the NLC.

"Our game plan is to use our speed," Wildman said. "Concord is a more experienced team than us. If we played the ball on the ground, they would beat us every time. We can control the tempo in the air. That is what we had to do, we had to move under the ball and get head shots, get quick turn around on the ball and not try to go man-on-man.

"Our objective was to be more aggressive than they were," he said. "We wanted to beat them down the side and capitalize on crosses. It worked three times exactly the way we wanted."

Utilizing the speed of its forwards, the Tigers used a fastbreaking style to get the big plays. Although Concord controlled the ball in the middle of the field most of the time, it was Warsaw who took advantage when it counted.

"That is the way we win - speed, breakaways and momentum into the goal - that is what soccer is all about," Wildman said. "As soon as we were able to wear them down, we were able to, with anticipation, frustrate them."

The girls have NLC contests remaining against Northridge, Wawasee and Goshen, and the Tigers can control their own destiny as far as the NLC crown is concerned. This is the first year the NLC will name a conference champion in girls soccer because they now have enough teams to name one with the addition of NorthWood and Wawasee this year.

"This win is extremely big," Wildman said. "They were our biggest hurdle to a conference championship. If our girls can avoid a big head and thinking they are better than they are, we can be very tough. It all comes down to Warsaw's attitude.

"Concord is probably the most skillful team in the conference," he said. "We beat them in a different game style. We beat them physically as well, legally, but physically."

Warsaw got on top of the Minutemen right from the start when Mandy Bruggeman scored with less than five minutes left to go in the contest. Bobbi Wildman, who took a pass from Jenna Rooney, got the assist on a nice crossing pass.

Right before the end of the half, Wildman got a goal of her own when she tried to cross the ball in front of the net again, and the ball was knocked off a Concord player into the net to give Warsaw a 2-0 lead at halftime.

Concord cut the lead in half at the 50-minute mark when Julie Arbogast hit a shot from the right side of the goal.

But the Tigers put the nail in the coffin when Wildman literally outsprinted a Concord defender on a breakaway, the defender actually falling down at one point, to get an unassisted goal and a 3-1 Warsaw lead at the 67-minute mark.

The win came against a traditionally-tough Concord team that sported 18 returning lettermen against a Warsaw squad, in only its third year of existence, that has 15 total players on its varsity roster.

"Skill of a team is built in the offseason, team play is developed during the season," Wildman said. "Our girls have not been playing soccer that long. We are not a match (skill-wise.)"

Warsaw (6-0-2, 3-0) is at Culver Girls Academy Sept. 16. [[In-content Ad]]