Don’t hesitate.

That’s was the lesson for Emerson Bergmooser Thursday.

When she plays without hesitation, she can be dangerous on the soccer pitch.

The senior captain scored two goals in the opening half during St. Mary Catholic Central’s 5-0 first round Division 4 District win Thursday over Detroit Cristo Rey.

Bergmooser’s goals came at the 35:03 and 21:05 mark of the first half, giving the Kestrels an early 2-0 lead.

“Sometimes I can be hesitant, so I feel like it definitely connected once I stopped being hesitant and just kind of did what I knew what to do,” Bermooser said. “Usually once I do that they go in the back of the net.”

SMCC coach Laura Perry said Bergmooser has honed her accuracy as the season has progressed resulting in the type of offensive prowess she displayed Thursday. Shaking her reluctance to shoot instead making the extra pass was the real reason she added her 10th and 11th goals of the season.

“Instead of going for the assist she went for the goal and it was really nice to see the senior captain capitalize on that tonight,” Perry said.

It wasn’t just Bermooser’s physical presence. Her vocal presence was heard all match and was just another sign of the leader she is for the team.

Photo Gallery: Detroit Cristo Rey at SMCC District soccer

“She’s usually very quiet and humble, but it was nice to see her use her voice today” Perry said. “She won SMCC’s Christian Woman of the Year so she’s not just a leader as a soccer player but as a person.”

As a senior Bergmooser said it’s an obligation to be vocal.

“I try really hard to communicate and be vocal out there because it’s what we need,” she said. “As a senior it’s my job to be the example so if I’m communicating. I hope that gets other people communicating as well.”

Bergmooser’s example of communicating seems to be working as planned.

Nora Kinsey could be heard directing traffic most of the day.

“You wouldn’t know she’s just a freshman the way she speaks out there and the way she dominates the field,” Perry said. “I expect a lot of Nora the next few years a lot of what we do goes through her.”

Kinsey was denied a goal three times before finally scoring (9:57) the final goal of the day for the Kestrels making the score 5-0.

Kinsey’s resiliency did not come as a surprise to Perry.

“She will get knocked down five times she will get up the sixth and be just as eager,” Perry said.

Bergmooser didn’t mince words about what’s to come for her younger teammate.

“She’s great already, she’s definitely going to be a key player the rest of her career I’m excited to see her move up,” she said.

A little over midway through the first half Madalyn Zaleski extended the Kestrel lead to 3-0.

The best chance for a Cristo Rey score came near the end of the first half but senior Sadie Johnson broke up the shot resulting in a Kestrels rush down the field that ended with a score by fellow senior Caroline Roecker (4:40) extending the advantage to 4-0.

Roecker and Kinsey were each credited assists for Bergmooser’s first half goals, respectively.

Perry said the early goals made the difference.

“I attribute our success tonight to our team’s ability to get started in the goal-scoring process early,” she said.

Perry and the Kestrels (10-9) will look to get another fast start host Lutheran Westland Tuesday in the District semifinals.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Bergmooser's leadership carries SMCC to District soccer triumph