Lincoln edges Ottumwa 2-1 behind first-half surge and Mia Smith’s winner

Des Moines Lincoln built its cushion early and made it stand up Wednesday night, holding off Ottumwa for a 2-1 varsity girls soccer win. The decisive moment came in the first half, when Mia Smith finished a breakaway that became the game-winning goal, showing poise with a defender on her shoulder and the goalkeeper charging in front of her.

The Rails controlled possession for much of the opening half and turned that command into a 2-0 halftime lead. Amalie Dietrich scored her first goal of the season, and it was a memorable one, helping crack open the scoring for Lincoln. Ana Moguel was credited with an assist, while Andrea Avalos helped create another dangerous chance that turned into a scoring opportunity and finished with an assist of her own.

Ottumwa responded after the break, making the right adjustments and pulling a goal back in the first 15 minutes of the second half. That set up a tense final stretch, with the last 25 minutes turning into a back-and-forth battle. Both sides produced strong runs and quality chances, but Lincoln’s defense kept meeting the moment.

Brooklyn Hookes and Moguel were especially tough on the back line, combining for strong tackles and helping make Lincoln difficult to break down. In goal, Katie Strong delivered another steady performance, limiting Ottumwa and coming up with key saves as the pressure rose late. Their work allowed the Rails to protect the narrow lead when the match tightened.

Lincoln showed both attacking quality and resilience. The early two-goal burst gave the team room to work, and the response after Ottumwa’s second-half push showed the composure that can win close matches. The Rails walked away with a hard-earned 2-1 result, powered by finishes from Smith and Dietrich, and a defensive effort that held firm when it mattered most.

Rails move to 1-1-1 on the season and 1-1-1 in conference. Lincoln returns to action Thursday April 16th vs Roosevelt.