Bolivar soccer opened September with an even 2-2 record in week one of the season before adding seven more wins in nine games to close the month. Now at 9-4, the Liberators enter the second half of the season this week with four games in five days, hosting two home matches and the Fast-Edge Soccer Classic.
“Our guys have done a good job at competing every day in practice and we can see them trying to implement our system on the field in games,” said Coach Jason Ingold. “We’ve earned some solid results and aim to have that continue this season. Our desire is to continue to grow and grind every day so that we can face the challenge of each opponent.”
The Liberators have compiled the wins in recent weeks, taking four contests into penalty kicks this month and outscoring opponents 35-20 on the season, dropping only one match in the last eight. Bolivar’s loss to Willard in the semifinal game of the Tigers’ home tournament on Sept. 18 came in the ninth round of penalty kicks after a tie in regulation. Bolivar bounced back to face conference opponent Logan Rogersville on Sept. 19 in a tournament third place contest that was a re-match of the 2025 Willard Varsity Invitational championship. The Wildcats took control of possession early but the Liberator defense denied the Rogersville attacks with keeper Colton Ingold picking up saves in his first tournament since returning from a pre-season injury. With under three minutes remaining in the half, a pair of Bolivar brothers combined to get the Liberators on the board with Xavier Cox knocking the ball loose from a Wildcat at midfield and Elijah Cox picking up possession to break through for a shot at the top of the box and the 1-0 lead at the half. The Wildcats earned two in the second half for the 2-1 lead before the Liberators tied the match in the 75th minute as Eli Bryan launched a long shot under pressure from the wing, hitting just inside the far post for the goal. The tie took the Liberators into their second PK match of the tournament as keeper John VanHoornbeek came off the bench to defend the net, denying a second round Wildcat shot while Liberators Bo Sanderson, Eli Bryan, Isaiah Lobdell, Luke Thomas and Nate Lobdell went 5-for-5 on PKs to secure the 3-2 third place win.
Bolivar added two more wins last week against Hillcrest and Fair Grove. The Liberators went on the road to defeat the Hornets 2-1 on Sept. 22 in an Ozark Mountain Conference contest. Xavier Cox earned the first goal for Bolivar in the ninth minute after Isaac Harper sent the ball into the middle from the outside where Cox battled through defenders for an open run at the keeper. In the 34th minute, Bryan put a shot on goal just deflected by the left post where Nate Lobdell picked up the rebound and goal for the 2-0 lead. In the 41st minute, a collision in the box gave Hillcrest a penalty kick for a 2-1 score at half. A physical but scoreless second half left the Liberators with the win before returning home to face Fair Grove on Sept. 24. Bolivar held a 1-0 lead over Fair Grove at the half with an early goal set in motion by Ben Berry and finished by Elijah Cox. Nate Lobdell picked up Bolivar’s second goal early in the second half, knocking in a shot at the goalline after his brother Isaiah Lobdell dropped the ball into the box where the Eagles and Liberators battled for control. Fair Grove found the net with 13 minutes remaining for the 2-1 final.
The Liberators kicked off this week with a Monday night home game against New Heights. Bolivar dominated early possession but the match remained scoreless until the 78th minute when a New Heights foul in the box gave Nate Lobdell a penalty kick for the goal and the 1-0 lead. New Heights tied the match 1-1 with just two minutes to play in regulation. After two scoreless overtime periods and 110 minutes of play, the Liberators prepared for PKs for the fourth time this season. Sanderson and Bryan gave Bolivar the 2-0 lead in PKs while New Heights missed one attempt and VanHoornbeek deflected a second. Isaiah Lobdell added Bolivar’s third before New Heights found the net for one. Thomas secured the fourth PK and the 2-1 win for Bolivar as the Liberators improved to 9-4 on the season.
A full week of soccer will continue with a home game Wednesday, Sept. 30 against conference opponent West Plains followed by the Fast-Edge Soccer Classic Thursday and Friday where the Liberators will face district opponent Clinton on Oct. 1 and Warrensburg on Oct. 2. All Liberator games this week are set to start at 4:30.
