Chad Lundquist/Nevada Appeal Carson High's #7 Brandi Vaga drives past Elko's #11 keeper Mekinna Cripps during Tuesday's Game.
The scoring opportunities were there several times, but Carson High's girls soccer team just couldn't convert.
Elko snapped a 1-all tie with scores in the 46th and 80th minute, and shocked Carson 3-1 in a nonleague match Tuesday night at Carson.
Randy Roser, Carson's veteran coach, was disappointed with his team's performance in its season-opening game.
"We had five empty nets, and we missed all five of them," Roser said. "In the preseason that's what you would expect.
"Elko was very organized and strong in the back. They didn't let us run through without putting a body on us."
Unofficially, Elko outshot Carson 14-12. The Senators had more quality scoring opportunities.
Elko had two good scoring chances in the first 12 minutes, but Kami Hernandez hit the left post and Kaitlin Hernandez was wide right.
Carson's talented sophomore Brandi Vega was wide with one scoring attempt with Elko goalie Mekinna Cripps out of position in the 22nd minute. At the 24-minute mark, Vega fired one over the crossbar from close range.
Elko snapped the scoreless tie when Kaitlin Hernandez lofted a high shot that got over the head of goalie Jen Johnson and bounced into the net. Roser blamed his defenders for not challenging the long-distance shot.
Vega had another scoring opportunity in the 29th minute, but couldn't convert.
Carson tied the game at 1 when Vega made a nice center to freshman Brenda Luquin, who rammed it past Cripps, tying the score at the 41-minute mark.
Less than a minute later, Luquin made a nice pass to Vega, who missed wide on an empty net.
"She's a young player, only a sophomore," Roser said of Vega. "She was so anxious to put it in. Rather than place the ball, she took a full swing. It goes off the outside of the foot and goes wide or high.
"We had a lot of good through balls that we were getting to, we just weren't finishing."
Less than four minutes later, Erin Finley left-footed one past Carly Mathat, who played the entire second half. Again, Roser was upset that nobody challenged Finley's shot.
The Senators had a couple of decent scoring opportunities, but Kayla Sanchez's sliding shot at the 61st minute went wide left, and Danielle Moos booted one over the crossbar in the 65th minute.
Elko closed the scoring with 47 seconds left in regulation when Kami Hernandez scored.
"We definitely got lucky a couple of times," said Michelle Gandolfo, Elko head coach. "They had difficulty finding the back of the net. We had somebody marking Vega, and she got tired. She was doing a good job for a while.
"We play better when they are behind (or tied). They freak out when they are trying to keep a lead. They like to play catch-up."
It will be back to the drawing board for Roser & Co.
"We need to work on our defense," Roser said. "I want us to defend those long shots. We put three in the back, and that's when we started to control the game. It gave us an advantage."
Roser said he was pleased with the play of Luquin and fellow freshman Taylor Musselman.
JV: CARSON 4, ELKO 0
The Senators scored all four of their goals in the first half, and easily held off Elko.
Emily Field and Mariah Tompkins scored two goals apiece for Carson.
Samantha Fishburn and Ashley Turner were praised for their defensive work. Danica Sheldon played goalie for CHS.