MIDDLETOWN >> Sophie Kucer and Brie Alves scored goals in the second half to break open a tight game at halftime and lift the Middletown Mustangs to a 3-0 North Central League I girls soccer win over the Kelseyville Knights on Thursday afternoon in Middletown.
The Mustangs, nine-time defending league champions, improved to 4-0 in the NCL I standings and 9-2-2 overall with the victory. The last time Middletown lost in league play was Oct. 21, 2015 at St. Helena. Since then, the Mustangs have gone 20-0-3 in NCL I action.
Kelseyville (2-2, 3-4) was one of three teams to tie Middletown a year ago. In fact, the Knights tied the Mustangs 2-2 at Middletown in the first of two league meetings between the two schools, but they couldn’t duplicate that success this year thanks in part to another gritty performance by a Middletown defense that has been routinely locking its opponents down.
Gracie Armstrong and Abby Sabater anchored that defense on Thursday, according to Middletown coach Lamont Kucer.
Kelseyville made things as tough as possible on Middletown by keeping eight players on defense.
“They stacked the back,” Kucer said. “They really made us work hard to get those goals but we were able to get through finally.”
Kat Brown played keeper for Kelseyville and stopped several Middletown shots, according to Kucer.
“To their credit they played really good defense. That keeper made a lot of saves.”
The only goal of the first half was scored by Aly Ferguson. Ferguson, Kucer and Kassi Agapoff had assists for the Mustangs, who have a big week ahead as they play Clear Lake in Lakeport on Tuesday before returning home Thursday to take on St. Helena.
“We have a tough week coming up,” Kucer said.
In other girls soccer action Thursday:
Clear Lake 1, Willits 0
At Willits, that’s two straight game-winning goals for Kortnie Reynolds, who scored 10 minutes into Thursday’s match as the Clear Lake Cardinals shut out the Willits Wolverines in NCL I action.
Clear Lake (3-1, 5-4) also won by a 1-0 score on Tuesday in Fort Bragg where Reynolds’ second-half game lifted the Cardinals.
“The shot she made today was much nicer,” Clear Lake coach Tommy Burke said. “It was a real pretty shot.”
Clear Lake’s midfield of Reynolds, Carina Martinez and Lexi Burke provided the Cardinals with numerous shots on goal.
“We had good opportunities but couldn’t find the back of the net,” Burke said. “Those three (Reynolds, Martinez and Burke) held the middle for us real well and put a ton of pressure on them (Wolverines).”
Clear Lake hosts undefeated Middletown on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.
