The Bobcats lost at home to Waterloo United 7-0 Monday night and then 10-0 at Cedar Falls on Tuesday. On Friday night, Marshalltown went up against one of the best Class 3A teams in the state: Ankeny Centennial.

Centennial (3-1) scored a goal 60 seconds in and didn’t let up, ending the game with a 10-0 scoreline. The Bobcats fall to 0-5 on the season and have still yet to score a goal.

Centennial scored four goals in the first 20 minutes of action and did it with all manner of goal — be it a shot from outside the box, a tap-in to an empty net, a headed goal off of a corner or a placed shot into the bottom left corner of the net.

Despite the tough test, Bobcat head coach Stacy Galema said she was proud of the effort her squad gave.

T-R PHOTO BY NOAH ROHLFING - Marshalltown freshman defender Sara Huffman (7) holds her position against Ankeny Centennial’s Cecilia Burroughs during Friday’s soccer match at Leonard Cole Field.

“Looking at the game start to finish, I think it was the hardest we played,” Galema said. “We’re kind of eliminating our second-guesses and things like that, we’re getting more confident of when to step to the ball and when to wait, when to slide and that sort of thing.”

Centennial added two more goals before the end of the half. Within five minutes of the start of the second half, the Jaguars added another goal to make it seven. But the Bobcats continued to play hard and try to keep the ball, despite the Jaguars’ press making it difficult to advance the ball up the field.

Late in the game, Marshalltown left more space near the top of the 18-year-box open. Two of the Jaguars’ last three goals came from outside the box, including the 10th and final strike — a shot into the top corner of the net to goalie Alexia Garcia’s left-hand side. Garcia was starting in goal for the first time in her high school career, and though she allowed 10 goals the freshman made 13 saves. Garcia had started in a forward position in each of her appearances for the Bobcats before Friday. She’s the team’s third different goalkeeper in five games.

Galema said they were met with injuries at the position, and the knock-on effect is felt all over the field.

“We’re throwing them in different spots that they’re already not used to,” Galema said. “The positive of it is they get to learn how those other positions play at a much faster pace than if they didn’t have to play there. It’s just unfortunate, because you never want to see anybody hurt or out for the count.”

T-R PHOTO BY NOAH ROHLFING

The Bobcats will have the weekend off before visiting Des Moines East Tuesday evening.