Carson and Douglas girls soccer battle to a tie

MINDEN - Trailing 1-0 to Sierra League rival Douglas nearly 60 minutes into their game Saturday, the Carson girls' soccer team was having difficulty breaking through the Tigers' defense to threaten goalkeeper Jamie Greer.

So when it looked like Brandi Vega's goal was going in on its own, Kayla Sanchez was taking no chances and followed the ball all the way into the net after getting a foot on it.

The score tied the game 1-1, which was exactly where the score remained in both teams' league opener at Douglas High School.

"It was a good match - a good match," said fourth-year Carson coach Randy Roser, whose team is now 0-2-1 overall. "I thought Douglas ran out of gas the last few minutes. We were all over them, but we just couldn't put it in the back of the net."With the exception of Sanchez's goal - with the assist by Vega - and Douglas' only goal - by Allie Freitas in the 41st minute - that statement was true of both teams, which waged a defensive battle for the majority of the game.

"We played well," Roser said. "We've been working with our defense the last few games and we've come on well. Now we're going to have to work on finishing and attacking."

Second-year Douglas coach Lorraine Fitzhugh, whose Tigers are now 2-2-2 overall, was happy with her team's effort.

"It was just a great outcome," Fitzhugh said. "It was a well-fought game. With the tie, both teams can feel proud. We were working on our defense. I'm happy. We had great opposition. I thought we took it to them."

Carson outshot Douglas 5-4 in the first period, with Vega missing three shots wide left - in the seventh minute, the 16th minute and the 29th minute. The all-action Vega juked and jumped and faked out two and three defenders on numerous occasions before trying to find the net.

Justin Van Rompf and Brenda Luquin had the other first-half shots for Carson, while Morgan LeFever had three, going wide right twice and wide left on a Krista Anderson feed.

Ally Freitas dinged a shot off the right post off a corner kick in the 23rd minute for Douglas.

"Douglas and us are always going to be a war," Roser said. "Both teams always step up and play a high-intensity game."

Douglas came out fast to start the second half, with Freitas scoring her goal on a rebound after starting Carson keeper Jennifer Johnson pushed away a bouncer by a Douglas player.

Johnson had to leave the game in the 57th minute after taking a kick to the leg when she left the net to smother the ball. She was replaced by Carly Mathat. Johnson recorded one save, denying Morgan LeFever in the 43rd minute.

Freitas missed a 30-yarder high over the goal, also in the 43rd minute.

But it was Carson which outshot Douglas 12-4 in the second half, but - with the exception of Sanchez's goal - was unable to beat Greer, who registered two saves.

Fitzhugh said she didn't feel that fatigue was an issue in the second half.

"I think we're very fit," she said. "In the second half I had players in there that I thought had died. (Fitness) is one of the basic requirements I have. We have eight seniors, five juniors and five sophomores. We're looking to jell more."

Carson's Danielle Moos got off four shots, Vega two, Rebecca Kane two, and Amanda Osborne one in the second half.

The Tigers' Allison Andraski missed a shot wide right in the 61st minute.

Roser said the victory would've been nice, but this early in the season it's all about constant improvement.

"The key isn't necessarily starting stong," Roser said. "You build as the season goes on. You focus on league, then the second half of league. You try to finish in the top four. We never put a lot of weight into the first three or four games. We want to get prepared for the end of the season."

Carson will next visit Sierra League opponent Hug Tuesday at 3 p.m.

DAYTON 3, FERNLEY 1

Ashley Winter scored twice and Leay Kennedy scored as Dayton built a 3-0 lead. Stefanie Shoup had five saves and Sarah Langley added three saves for Dayton.