The Sweet Home girls soccer team finished its season with a bang, the Huskies winning their first game in two years and then holding the state’s top team scoreless for a half.
The Huskies defeated Gervais 3-2 on Thursday at home.
Gervais jumped to a quick lead, scoring in the first five minutes and then following up with a second goal a minute later.
That woke the Huskies up, Coach Ramiro Santana said. “We started playing the game. The girls started to settle down.”
Then Sarah Nelson got a big shot, Santana said. She had her back to the goal.
“She just made a quick turn out of nowhere and kicked the ball in,” he said. “I don’t think their goalie was ready.”
That was followed quickly by a goal from Jessica Snow, and the game was tied.
Within the first two minutes of the second half, Nelson took another shot to get ahead, he said. The rest of the game, “it was intense. We were just trying to protect the ball.”
Gervais mounted a relentless attack, bouncing two or three shots off the posts but mostly stopped by freshman goalie Kristen Tolle.
“Tolle is amazing,” Santana said. She stopped one shot after another and saved the game.
The Huskies had already improved their record from last year by tying two games. This one gave them their first win.
Monday night at home, the Huskies faced top-ranked Philomath, which is undefeated this year.
“They are fast, a good team,” Santana said. We’re too slow for that type of team.”
Philomath fielded runners who competed at the state track meet last year, he said, and they led Philomath to an 8-0 victory.
All of those goals were in the first half, Santana said, and then he made a discovery: Rochelle Zamacona and Shelbey Gillespie play great defense.
He moved players around in the second half, with defender Alex Hawk going out on an injured toe. Zamacona and Gillespie ended up moving from mid to defense despite their reservations about it.
“They played the best defense ever,” Santana said. “They matched the forwards, and Philomath didn’t score at all. They play like pros. Now they’ve got me thinking for next year because, boy, do they play beautifully.
“I think our goalie only got the ball two or three times in the second half.”
The Huskies also got a few shots in the second half, with a couple that could have easily been goals, he said.
This was against a team that was beating teams who beat the Huskies by 15 or more goals, he said.
Santana is happy with the Huskies’ improvement this year, he said. “Most losses were by one goal this year.”
The Huskies got a win and two ties, with six losses, and they were competitive, he said. They improved all season, and he improved as a coach, already figuring out new things to do with this team next year.
Their attitude and motivation is excellent, he said. “And Now you can see a team. They’re excited for next year. They’re really motivated, and they come a long ways from last year.”
Speed on defense has been the main struggle for this team, he said. And he’s discovered that in part of his offense. Next year, he’ll be able to move ball handlers up in the offense and keep some of the speed back on defense.
“I expect a lot next year,” Santana said. “We should be up there next year.”
He has three seniors exiting the team this year: Kathy Wilson, Faith Helfrich and Leanna Blankenship.
They’ll be missed, he said, but the team has good talent coming up behind them.