LOWER LAKE — The Middletown Mustangs improved to 11-0 in North Central League I play and 15-3-1 overall with a 6-1 victory over the Lower Lake Trojans in girls soccer action Thursday in Lower Lake.
The Mustangs can clinch no worse than a tie for their 12th straight league championship with a win Tuesday at home against Kelseyville. They’re also at home next Thursday against Willits before closing out the regular season Oct. 28 in Lakeport against Clear Lake.
“The girls played well after a little bit of a slow start, something we have to improve on the next two weeks,” Middletown coach Lamont Kucer said.
Middletown built a 4-0 halftime lead with some help from Lower Lake (3-9, 4-12), which accidentally kicked a ball into the net for a Mustangs goal. Sophie Kucer scored twice and had two assists for Middletown while Brie Alves, Zamora Rogers and Harper Moreno also scored goals. Ellary Isherwood and Luana Gisler recorded assists.
Kucer had high praise for the play of Gisler and Georgia Guerrero. Both split the game between the midfield and defense.
“They were standouts for us today offensively and defensively,” Kucer said.
Emily Maccario replaced the injured Leslie Chairez in goal and recorded 15 saves.
Middletown had a 6-0 lead in the second half when Melissa Mendez scored for the Trojans with an assist from Anna Gutierrez.
“They were just very, very fast,” Lower Lake coach Andrea Mahling said of the Middletown forwards. “And their keeper had some great saves.”
Standouts for Lower Lake were Gutierrez and Kimberly Bautista in the midfield, Margarita Cordova on defense and Michaela Stone at sweeper.
The Trojans wrap up their season with a Tuesday game at Cloverdale and a Thursday home game against Fort Bragg, which will be senior night.
In other girls soccer action Thursday:
Clear Lake 3, Fort Bragg 1
At Fort Bragg, Lexi Tejada scored goals in each half and Nancy Ruzicka also scored as the Clear Lake Cardinals improved to 7-4 in the NCL I standings with a victory over the Fort Bragg Timberwolves.
Clear Lake, now 11-6 overall, built a 2-0 lead in the first half on goals by Tejada at the 22-minute mark and Ruzicka at the 36-minute mark. Fort Bragg scored right before halftime on what Clear Lake coach Derick Fiske called “one hell of a shot” by a Timberwolf striker.
“There was nothing Trinity could do,” Fiske said of Clear Lake keeper Trinity Jardstrom.
Any momentum the Timberwolves were hoping to carry into the second half because of that goal didn’t last long. Tejada scored just two minutes into the half to make it 3-1.
“Lexi took the ball and dribbled it right down the field before shooting,” Fiske said. “She took one to the house and made them look foolish.”
Clear Lake’s defense did the rest, shutting the Timberwolves down.
“I’m really happy with the way we’re playing,” Fiske said. “Fort Bragg put some pressure on us late, taking a lot of shots in a row and we beat back every one of them. Everything we’ve preached to them all year is starting to take effect. It’s great to see.”
Defensive standouts were Angie Garnica, Grace Gomez, Thea White and Ashley Pyorre, according to Fiske.
Clear Lake is at Willits on Tuesday and home against St. Helena on Wednesday. The Cardinals’ regular-season finale is Oct. 28 at home against Middletown.
