UPPER LAKE — Playing airtight defense with just enough offense might be Middletown’s calling card this season, according to head coach David Clark.
“That’s going to be our strength,” Clark said of a Middletown defense that held down McKinleyville in a 2-1 Mustangs victory on Friday during girls soccer action at the fourth annual Tyler Duncan Memorial tournament in Upper Lake.
Ellary Isherwood, a four-year veteran who played on Middletown’s section championship team in 2019 as a freshman, scored to snap a 1-1 tie 15 minutes into the second half.
Coming off an intense 1-1 tie with Clear Lake on Thursday, the Mustangs (1-0-1) were “beat up and exhausted,” according to Clark. The Mustangs won the 3-2 penalty kick shootout, a tournament tiebreaker.
Following its first win of the 2022 season, Middletown advances to play Upper Lake on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. in a battle of undefeated teams. The Mustangs were scheduled to play St. Bernard’s of Eureka early Saturday, but the Crusaders pulled out of the tournament on Friday.
Jenna Tufo’s penalty kick staked Middletown to a 1-0 lead in the first half. McKinleyville came back to tie the score later in the half.
The Mustangs’ defense held the Panthers in check the rest of the way, led by middle defenders Shay Tufo and Autumn Clark as well as defender Calista Hoskins. Tufo started the game in the midfield but moved back onto defense in the second half.
“Calista was running the show back there,” Clark said.
In other girls action Friday, Clear Lake won by forfeit over St. Bernard’s while Upper Lake won by forfeit over Technology.
