WILLITS — Goals from Nya Marcks, Maddy Young, Ashlyn Rhodes and Vanessa Lopez-Becerra carried the undefeated Upper Lake High School girls soccer team to a 4-1 non-league victory over the Willits Wolverines on Monday afternoon in Willits.
Upper Lake improved to 7-0 with its second win over Willits this season. The first was a 5-1 victory earlier this month during second-round play in the Tyler Duncan Memorial tournament at Upper Lake. In the rematch, the Cougars led 2-0 at halftime and 3-0 before Willits broke through for its only goal against a stingy Upper Lake defense.
“Willits played a lot better today,” Upper Lake head coach Daniella Santana said in comparing the Cougars’ two games with the Wolverines this season. “They had a better idea who my players are. Nya had three girls on her.”
While the talented Marcks, a junior, is one of the team’s top offensive threats, she isn’t Upper Lake’s only scorer.
“We’ve got Nya, Ashlyn, Vanessa and Maddy when we need her,” Santana said of the senior Young, who is a center/defensive midfielder.
“She’s usually helping on defense and setting up our midfielders and forwards,” Santana said. “She has a lot to do. But I’ve told them (defensive players) if they have room, come on up. They have speed and can do it.”
Marcks scored with an assist from Kat Geary-Lopez while Young scored an unassisted goal in the first half. Rhodes’ goal, assisted by Tatum Salas, made it 3-0 in the second half. After Willits closed to 3-1, Lopez-Becerra’s goal sealed the victory.
Upper Lake alternated keepers, playing Leyla Marcks in the first half and Kali Minnis in the second half. Other defensive standouts were Salas and Marissa Russio.
The Cougars were scheduled to play Lower Lake at home Tuesday but that game has been postponed. Upper Lake will instead host Lower Lake on Sept. 8 and play at Lower Lake on Sept. 19. Upper Lake’s next scheduled game is Sept. 6 at home against Middletown.
