PENDLETON–The Pendleton Heights girls’ soccer team used a quick strike offense to seize the lead Monday evening against Lawrence North and showed off their defensive talents to maintain the advantage.

Senior Kate Cowger found junior Taylor Fort for the game’s first goal less than two minutes into the contest and later added a penalty kick goal in the second half as the Arabians shut out the Wildcats 2-0.

The Arabian defense, led by freshman Riley Schrink, junior Leonie Wilson, and senior goaltender Shayla Meinders, turned away the Lawrence North (0-2-1) attack. An athletic diving save by Meinders in the closing seconds sealed the shutout for Pendleton Heights (3-0).

“Our defense has been solid the (first) two games, but we’ve given up that one goal,” coach Mark Davy said. “That was a quality defensive game (tonight) for 80 minutes. Our defense is strong, with good speed and good skill, and they proved it tonight against a quality team.”

The Arabians took the lead just 1:20 into the game when Cowger found Fort in the middle for a goal and a 1-0 lead. The score remained the same until Cowger had an opportunity for a penalty kick early in the second half. Her kick sailed high over the outstretched arm of Wildcat goalie Allie Malloy and just under the crossbar for a 2-0 Arabian lead.

“The goalie was pretty short,” Cowger said. “She had shifted over to the right side of the goal, so I just aimed for the upper left and it went right in.”

One concern for the Arabians came in the closing moments when Fort left the game with an apparent lower back injury. Although it was a physical contest, Davy did not believe the injury to be serious.

“It was a back strain,” Davy said. “She had been nursing it the last couple days and she had been hit there repeatedly throughout the game. She thinks she’ll be fine. We’ll run some tests, but I think she’ll be good for Thursday.”

The Arabians travel to Richmond Thursday for a 7 p.m. start.