Chloe Crookshanks (17) winds up to take a shot against Douglas Wednesday afternoon.
Photo by Ron Harpin.
Douglas High girls’ soccer was able to make quick work of home-field advantage Wednesday in a 2-1 win over rival Carson.
In the second minute, sophomore forward Aleeah Weaver got her foot on the end of a Camden Miller corner kick, but put it into a body of defenders.
However, Weaver’s shot returned to sender as the Tigers’ leading scorer put her head on the ball as it ricocheted back, scoring the opening goal.
“She assisted herself,” laughed senior Bailey Rozier.
Just a few minutes later it was junior Kylee Lash netting the Tigers’ second score.
Lash was returning off a concussion earlier in the year and seeing their defender bang one home was a big confidence boost for Douglas.
“After coming out a little flat against (Bishop) Manogue, this was a good reboot,” said junior keeper Kylie Martin. “That was great for her (Lash).”
It was all the scoring the Tigers needed, though Carson didn’t go away lightly.
For Douglas, a 5-2-2 record leaves the Tigers in third place in Northern Class 5A.
Picking up three points instead of one against the Senators was important for Douglas after tying in their only meeting last season.
“At least we are putting points on the board,” said Rozier.
The Tigers feel as though they are coming into their own, especially with a grouping of home games on the docket.
“Our possession has gotten a lot better,” said senior Helene Henry-Greard. “We play out of the back and we’ve created more opportunities.”
Senators fight through second half
After the Tigers pushed the tempo in the opening 40 minutes, it was the Senators that returned the pace of play in the second half.
In the 54th minute, Reese Mackenzie put a shot just over the crossbar.
Four minutes later it was the Tigers coming back on the attack.
Senator freshman keeper Alondra Carrillo made a diving save to keep Carson in the contest in the 58th minute.
Carrillo’s clear bounced its way to Mackenzie, who headed it down and took a couple touches to set up a shot.
With the ball on her left foot, Mackenzie deposited a goal just inside of top left corner of the net to cut Carson’s deficit in half, 2-1.
The two teams went back and forth as the Senators tried to pressure the Tigers into giving up another score, but Douglas held firm.
Five days ago, the Senators were on the end of a tough second half in surrendering two goals in the final seven minutes to Reno.
With a tie against Galena Monday, 1-1, and a much more complete second half against Douglas, the Senators are believing more and more they can push the top teams in Northern Class 5A.
“I think we were definitely not doing our best in the first half,” said Mackenzie. “Coach definitely told us that at halftime, too.”
“I think it shows us where we need to be. We can play with them when we play them again,” said senior Scout Bourgeois. “I think it shows us what we need to do to actually win.”
UP NEXT: Douglas will be back on its home grass Saturday against Spanish Springs (1-9). Carson heads right back into another contest with Galena (6-1-3) Saturday on the road.
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