Soccer Game Preview: Western Branch vs. Hickory

Western Branch hasn't had much luck against Hickory recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Bruins will be playing at home against the Hawks at 7:00 p.m. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

Western Branch took a loss when they played away from home on Thursday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Tuesday. Their defense stepped up to hand King's Fork a 2-0 shutout. Western Branch haven't had any issues with King's Fork recently, as the game was their seventh consecutive win against them.

Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Hickory). They blew past Lakeland 10-0 on Tuesday. Hickory's defense has been rock solid lately; the team hasn't given up a goal in their last four matchups.

Hickory has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won six of their last seven games. That's provided a nice bump to their 7-4 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they scored 31 goals over those seven contests. As for Western Branch, they now have a winning record of 6-5.

Western Branch came up short against Hickory when the teams last played back in May of 2024, falling 2-0. Will the Bruins have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other soccer content.