The Huskies upset Junction City 2-1 in girls soccer at home on Thursday, Oct. 20.
“It’s one of those where we’re the underdog,” said Coach Ramiro Santana, but as a team, “we decided we’ve got a team that can play anybody.”
The girls have kept improving all season, Santana has repeated week after week, and they’re still playing better every game.
Junction City’s coach told Santana they’re looking better and they’re playing the game their best when they need to be playing their best, Santana said.
“Our girls are playing the best when we need them to – they can play anybody.”
This game showed it clearly, Santana said. “They played their hearts out when we started the game. It was pretty nice to see them accomplishing what it’s all about.”
Santana made some adjustments to deal with Junction City’s star, Shay Miner, he said. Kristen Tolle stayed at goalie. He pulled Haley Kent back from right forward a little to help cover the midfield. Katie Virtue helped cover Miner, playing center forward and a little right forward. Jasmin Yoder played back a little from the midfield to help the defense.
“This time, we played a little more defense,” Santana said. “We wanted to play offense more than defense too, but at the same time, I wanted to make sure we pressured them. It was a little harder job. They had to do two jobs in one.”
But they pressured Miner with it, running three defenders on her most of the game as she moved across forward positions, something that usually confuses the Huskies defense, Santana said. “She could not get the ball.”
Virtue scored the first goal five minutes into the game, on an assist from Yoder, Santana said. “She went across the middle,” Santana said. “They were coming too far out.”
Santana yelled at her to kick it over their heads, he said. She did, and “Katie beat them by speed, took the shot and hit them.”
The Huskies led 1-0.
Junction City tied the game in the minute 25 with a good shot over Tolle’s head, Santana said. The game was tied 1-1 at halftime.
In the second half, Santana went more defensive, backing Yoder up totally to play defense, upping the defense from four to five.
“They didn’t come out as strong as they were,” Santana said, and Virtue took a couple of good shots, drawing Junction City back into its defense.
The Huskies scored in the 11th minute of the second half on a corner kick, Santana said. He had been pushing the team to scramble on the inbounds plays to catch opponents off guard. Virtue took the corner kick, and a Junction City defender had left a small gap between her and the post.
The ball slipped in and bounced off the girl’s hip into the goal, Santana said.
Once the Huskies had the lead, he dropped Virtue back into defense to hold off the Junction City attack and win the game.
During the game, Alana Long was injured and was expected to be out against Sisters on Tuesday. Jessika Stewart remains out for the season. Rachel Jones took a ball to the face and suffered a concussion earlier in the week against Elmira and is expected to be out at least through this week, but she could be back for playoffs.
The Huskies will finish in at least fourth place with a 4-4 record and two games left, locking in a playoff game. Trailing is Elmira at 2-7 and one game left. Cottage Grove, 5-3, has two games left. Losing both games, which include La Pine, 0-8, and Junction City, 6-3, the Huskies would tie going 1-1 this week with Sisters, 8-0, and La Pine. The Huskies could get ahead by defeating both Sisters and La Pine. If Cottage Grove wins one game, the Huskies would have to win both games to tie for third place.
The Huskies defeated Elmira 3-0 on the road on Oct. 18.
“They played us a little tougher,” Santana said. “They had us at first.”
But that didn’t last long. Jones took a pass from Yoder in the minute 13, dribbled the ball through a defender and took a shot, scoring the first goal.
Virtue followed up in the minute 29, attacking the goal. She passed one defender but couldn’t get through the second. Virtue backed up, and Yoder came up from behind to kick a long shot into the goal.
The Huskies led 2-0 at halftime. In the minute 18 of the second half, Virtue scored.