The Lady Dragons did just that against visiting Erie. Georgie Bickling scored a hat trick and Warren blanked Erie, 4-0.

“They bounced back well,” Warren coach Jeremy Bickling said.

Warren (8-3 overall, 7-2 Region 6) brought pressure from the get-go. MJ Fadale got a quick shot on goal off a throw-in just 3:30 into the match. Erie (2-7, 1-7) keeper Ashlyn Heynoski was able to make a kick save to keep the match scoreless.

The Dragons needed just three more minutes to change that.

Times Observer photo by Brian Hagberg Warren’s Audrey Smith (31) outruns Erie’s Sydney Roche (16) to the ball during the second half of their match at War Memorial Field, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2019. The Dragons blanked the Royals, 4-0.

Warren created a turnover in the defensive zone and the ball shot ahead to a charging Bickling. She fired a crossing pass to Kyra Wotorson who redirected it past Heynoski and in for a 1-0 lead.

The Royals were called offsides at 12:24. Emily Egger took the kick and booted the ball past the Erie defense. Bickling won the race and put a shot to the far corner for her first of the day and a 2-0 Dragons advantage.

The Dragons nearly had a third goal three times in a span of four minutes late in the half.

At 23:39, Lauren Andersen was fed a pass. She tried for a redirect, but it went a bit high and wide of the net. A minute later, Andersen found herself with the ball on her foot again. This time she tried to send a crossing pass to Wotorson, but the ball just missed her foot. Three minutes later, Andersen got a breakaway when Erie’s Kelly Parthenakis slipped going back for the ball. Andersen got a shot away but pushed it just wide of the net, and the score remained 2-0 at the half.

Warren is still trying to figure out how to replace the offensive production lost with junior Kyleigh Wilson sidelined with injury.

“It changes the dynamic,” Bickling said. “We’re trying to figure out different positions. But the girls have dealt with it really well. It helps that so many of them can play multiple positions.”

Warren spent nearly the entire second half in the offensive zone, but couldn’t solve Heynoski again. Wotorson, Bickling and Fadale each had multiple shots on net, but Heynoski was in position each time.

Late in the half, Coach Bickling had Fadale and Georgie Bickling switch positions on the field. The switch worked almost immediately.

With just under seven minutes to play, Fadale got a sharp angle shot off. Heynoski got her fingertips on it, but the rebound went right to Bickling’s foot. The freshman didn’t hesitate and buried the shot to make it 3-0.

“Those two are really interchangeable parts,” Coach Bickling said. “I told them (and Wotorson) they would all have to add an extra percentage of improvement to make up for (losing Wilson).”

Bickling completed the hat trick two minutes later.

Sawyer Mohney created a turnover and sent a lead pass down the middle of the field. Bickling won the race to the ball and got a clean shot away and past Heynoski for the final tally of the match.

Warren faces a tough non-region test Saturday. The Dragons will travel to Harbor Creek for a match with the Huskies.

Harbor Creek is the only undefeated team remaining in all of District 10. The lone blemish on the Huskies record is a 2-2 tie with Mercyhurst Prep.

“They’re a tough team,” Bickling said. “But it’s all about matchups and I think we can match up with anybody.”