The Arcata girls overcame a pregame injury to one of their players and a shaky start to get the better of St. Bernard’s 2-0 in non-conference soccer on Saturday.
Jada Lusk scored the opening goal for the Tigers and Gabby Cavinta doubled the advantage, and that proved to be enough for the Big 4 school in a hard-fought showdown.
“St. Bernard’s came ready to play and showed their depth of talent battling hard and keeping the game competitive,” Arcata head coach Matt Ingram said.
A pair of impressive freshmen — KJ McDonald and Hazel Ray — helped preserve the shut out with strong performance anchoring the Arcata back line.
Sonja Vevoda-Whalig also had a big game for the Tigers, as did Amabel Miranda.
“(Sonja) had a fantastic performance, bringing energy and composure throughout the match,” said Ingram, who added that his players “showed growth linking passes and building confidence.”
The loss was disappointing for the Crusaders, but not the effort.
“Obviously it’s disappointing to come up short on the scoreboard, but I’m really proud of the effort our team put in today,” St. Bernard’s head coach Jeff Sellars said.
Chloe Grunden was particularly impressive for the Crusaders and helped anchor the team’s back line.
“Chloe Grunden was outstanding,” Sellars added. “She read the game so well, made some crucial tackles and really kept us organized in the back.”
Freshman shot stopper Kaitlyn Amis continued to impress between the posts and was “a warrior in goal” playing through an injury, according to her coach.
In midfield, Eliana Sellars also continued to impress and showcased why she is one of the most dangerous players in the Little 4 while working tirelessly to connect play and win possession.
CJ Figas, Macie Wantt and Amber Smith each also impressed for the SB girls, creating chances and stretching the Arcata defense.
“Even though we didn’t get the result we wanted, those individual efforts show the kind of heart and resilience this team has, and I know we’ll build on that going forward,” Jeff Sellars added.
