The challenge for Warsaw's girls soccer team on Saturday may not have been the opponent but the 10 a.m. game time.

Warsaw improved to 9-2-4 with a 4-0 home win over 1-11-2 Wawasee. But when halftime arrived, Warsaw held a modest 1-0 lead.

The slow start didn't surprise Warsaw coach Brent Wildman.

"This was our typical Saturday morning startup," he said. "We're slow getting going on Saturday mornings. We came off a very hard game Thursday, and then we followed that with a Saturday morning game."

Warsaw finished in a 0-0 tie at Northridge on Thursday.

After the slow start, Warsaw finished strong, adding on three second-half goals.

Claire Beckett scored two of Warsaw's goals, including the first-half goal on a free kick. Beckett sent the ball into the top of the goal, above the head and arms of Wawasee goalkeeper Casey Rinker.

"Claire Beckett, I've played her all over the field this year," Brent Wildman said. "She's very coachable and maintains a good level of aggressiveness in games. It's just a matter of time before it happens for her in games, either a score or an assist.

"She's hitting her stride now."

Aubrey Evans, Kari Wildman and Beckett added second-half goals. All four goals were unassisted.

"Our objective this game was not to make straight runs at the goal, but to make diagonals," Brent Wildman said. "It's difficult to score in a game like this because they just have so many people packed in front of the goal."

The field could have been cut in half on this day, as Warsaw's offense controlled the game. Warsaw outshot Wawasee 31-4 and had nine corner kicks to Wawasee's zero. Warsaw goalkeeper Liz Wiggins saw little action.

"We've been decimated by injuries and suspensions," Wawasee coach Rick Shipley said. "We were counting on coming back this year and being a strong team, but we lost all our leading scorers.

"It's hard for us to sustain drives when we don't have the firepower on offense. We lost our top four scorers from last year. We've had to rebuild all over. This year we've had to focus on defense and just be opportunistic on offense."

Warsaw improved to 2-1-2 in the Northern Lakes Conference, while Wawasee fell to 0-4 in the NLC.

WARSAW 4, WAWASEE 0

Warsaw goals

(all unassisted; no times available)

First half

Claire Beckett

Second half

Beckett, Aubrey Evans, Kari Wildman

Shots on goal - Warsaw 31, Wawasee 4

Corner kicks - Warsaw 9, Wawasee 0

Records - Warsaw 9-2-4, 2-1-2 NLC; Wawasee 1-11-2, 0-4 NLC

JV: WARSAW 2, WAWASEE 0

Warsaw goals -ÊEmily Clemens, Kristi Haddad

Warsaw assist - Melissa Buhrt

Warsaw record - 10-0-2, 5-0 NLC [[In-content Ad]]