BOONVILLE >> Upper Lake scored three goals in about 15 minutes but it wasn”t enough to beat Anderson Valley in a non-league varsity girls” soccer game on Thursday in Boonville.
Anderson Valley led 4-0 after one half and increased its advantage to 5-0 early in the second half before the Cougars” offense kicked into gear. Amber Drake got things rolling with a goal, then Bianca Cruz headed in a corner kick from Sheyla Ayala to make it 5-2. Julia Mooney”s goal with five minutes remaining, assisted by Kaycee Murphy, cut Anderson Valley”s lead to 5-3.
“They started passing, communicating better,” Upper Lake coach Mandy Robbins said of the Cougars” scoring spree. “We were applying what I”ve been telling them in practice.”
Drake, a forward and the team”s captain, turned in a solid performance, according to Robbins. So did Cruz, a senior playing soccer for the first time.
Both teams roasted in near 100-degree heat, according to Robbins, who had only two reserves to call on.
“We got off to a rough start, obviously,” Robbins said of the 4-0 first-half hole the Cougars dug for themselves. “The girls didn”t come alive until midway through the second half. It”s too bad we didn”t start a little earlier.”
Upper Lake (0-6) returns to action Wednesday at home against Rincon Valley Christian at 4:30 p.m.
