Junction City 3,
Sweet Home 1
The Huskies played well Thursday in girls soccer, but their inexperience and youth showed in shooting accuracy as they fell to Junction City 3-1 on the road.
“That’s probably the best game we have played all season,” said Coach Ramiro Santana. The team was short players, who are out sick or injured, but those who remained played well.
“We followed the ball,” Santana said. “Our passing was much better, more accurate.”
The girls communicated better and played more physically, he said. Based on previous reports about Junction City, ranked among the top 10 4A teams in the state, they anticipated up to six to eight goals by their opponent.
Junction City scored the first goal in the minute 15, but Ashley Wickline followed up with her own goal about 10 minutes later to tie the score 1-1.
“We were close,” Santana said. “We were there.”
Just before the second half, Junction City slipped a shot in to take a 2-1 lead.
The Huskies held Junction City the rest of the game except for a penalty kick to round out the score.
“We missed shots that we could have had easy,” Santana said. “We could have easily tied the game or won. We had opportunities.”
The Huskies just didn’t shoot as straight as they needed, he said, and he chalks that up to their youth.
Elmira 4, Sweet Home 2
The Huskies fell to Elmira 4-2 at home.
Elmira was similar, Santana said. The girls played well although not quite as well as they did facing Junction City.
The Huskies scored first on a shot from Wickline in about the minute 10, Santana said. Elmira quickly tied the game, and Wickline scored a second time to take a 2-1 lead. Elmira tied the game by the end of the half, 2-2.
In the second half, Elmira slipped a shot into the net to take a 3-2 lead and then scored a fourth goal on a penalty kick.
“We didn’t play as good as we did with Junction City,” Santana said. “But every game, we’re playing better.”
The Huskies started the second round of league games this week with a scheduled game at home against Sisters.
“I think we can do a little better job than the first half,” Santana said, and they’ll do it despite the injuries and illness.