SANTA ROSA — Talk about starting your season with a bang.
Powered by second-half goals from Kelly Wilkinson and Emily Reed, the Middletown High School girls” soccer team beat Sonoma Academy 4-2 in the season opener for both teams on Monday in Santa Rosa.
Sonoma Academy, the North Coast Section champion three years running from 2007-09, ended the Mustangs” season twice in that span ? with a semifinal-round playoff victory in 2008 and with a quarterfinal-round playoff win in 2007.
“A great way to start a season,” Middletown coach Lee Hoage said. “The girls are absolutely thrilled.”
Middletown (1-0) opened up a 2-0 lead on goals by sisters Brittany and Kaylee Cash, but Sonoma Academy (0-1) closed to 2-1 by halftime. The Coyotes pulled even at 2 early in the second half before Kelly Wilkinson scored on an indirect kick to put the Mustangs ahead to stay at 3-2.
“Sonoma Academy challenged us and they had opportunities and we had even more,” Hoage said. “They came at us but we responded. We didn”t sit back and wait.”
With the outcome still in doubt late in the second half, Reed took what Hoage called a “beautiful crossing pass” from Poloma Colacion with six minutes left and scored on the breakaway to give the Mustangs some much-needed breathing room at 4-2.
Anchored by the play of Wilkinson and Hannah Diaz in the midfield, the Mustangs also received a strong effort from the defense, including keeper Ashley Lescher, sweeper Maddie Kucer and stopper Maria Castaldo.
“Ashley Hart also did a nice job at right fullback and (Karina) Vargas and (Kaylee) Cash alternated at left fullback and did great,” Hoage said.
Though a veteran squad, the Mustangs had to work out some butterflies at game”s start, according to Hoage.
“There was a lot of hesitancy, a little fear going into the game,” Hoage said. “Hannah did a great job as captain. They respond to her leadership on the field. She also gave a pretty good little speech at halftime.”
Added Hoage, “The defense came up big. They should be proud.”
Middletown plays at Calistoga on Wednesday before returning home Friday for a rematch with the Wildcats. The Mustangs are home again on Monday to play another playoff nemesis, the St. Vincent Mustangs. St. Vincent has ended Middletown”s season each of the last two years with semifinal-round playoff victories.
