The Huskies defeated their longtime nemesis Sisters last week for the first time ever in girls soccer.
They beat the Outlaws 5-2 at home on Sept. 20.
“We were just hitting them big time,” said Coach Ramiro Santana. The Huskies opened with a goal by Cora McKee five minutes into the game. Milah Weld added two more goals in the minutes 10 and 13, and 20 minutes in, Hannah Jewett scored.
Santana said he subbed in his younger players and JV players at halftime. Sisters scored its two goals in the minutes five and 17, and Torree Hawken scored the Huskies’ last goal 37 minutes into the final half.
“They feel great, especially the seniors and juniors who have played them in the past,” Santana said. “We’re beating the team that’s normally beating us pretty bad.”
Defense was a key and has been a key in the Huskies’ success so far this year.
“Our defense is solid,” Santana said. “Right now, our defense is playing really good, controlling that side. Communication is good, not great. I’d like to have more of it.”
But in back, they’re talking, and they know what to do with the ball, Santana said. The defense kept the ball off the Huskies’ end of the field, allowing about eight shots total on the game.
The Huskies shot more than 30 times, Santana said. “That goalie did really good. She stopped so many.”
The Huskies lost 3-0 at Sutherlin, their first loss of the year, on Thursday in a physical game that sent forward Jessilynn Thomas to the hospital with a knee injury. Santana said Kendyl Stutzman’s knee was hurt during the game also.
Santana criticized the referees in the game. “It was pretty physical. That’s why we ended up losing some of the players.”
Chloe Newport and Sydney Mauer both received yellow cards, he said, but calls weren’t going the other way.
Sutherlin scored five minutes into the game on a penalty kick for a hand ball, Santana said. The second goal came 15 minutes into the game, and the last goal was halfway through the second half.
“We played good,” Santana said, and the girls had a number of good shots on goal. Jewett bounced the ball off the goalposts with a shot that cross almost half the field and another just outside the goal area.
McKee and Bethany Gingerich took some good shots, but the goalie caught them, Santana said. Total, the Huskies shot the ball 28 times.
Sutherlin had fewer opportunities, he said. Next time, “it’s not going to be the same.”
He’ll make some adjustments, and it’ll be a different game, he said.
The Huskies are 2-1 in league, and 5-1-1 overall. They were scheduled to face Cottage Grove at 7 p.m. Tuesday at home and Elmira at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at home with the second round of league play starting next Tuesday at Junction City.
“If we beat them, it’ll be really good for us,” Santana said. “We need to.”
Cottage Grove is still looking for a win in league after losing to Elmira and Junction City and tying Sutherlin. Elmira has beaten Sisters and Cottage Grove but lost to Junction City.
Sweet Home is in a three-way tie for first in league with Elmira and Junction City. Sutherlin is fourth with a 1-1-1 record. Sisters is in fifth with a record of 1-2, and Cottage Grove is sixth with a record of 0-2-1.