Rivals Fortuna and Ferndale served up an entraining and well-played showdown in girls soccer at Fortuna on Tuesday.
And it was the home team that prevailed, beating their neighbors for the second time this season, 2-0.
There were three other local games on Tuesday.
The Arcata girls beat South Fork 7-0, while the Arcata boys also beat South Fork 8-0, and the Fortuna boys got the better of Ferndale 6-0.
But the game of the day took place between the Fortuna and Ferndale girls, with little to separate the two teams.
“Ferndale made us work for the win,” Fortuna head coach Arnulfo Aguirre said. “It took us most of the first half to get going, but we came out with more energy in the second half and started finding our rhythm.”
Despite the loss, Ferndale head coach Sam Licona was happy with his team’s collective effort and performance.
“It was a great performance by the team,” Licona said. “I’m proud of the way they handled themselves, the way they defended and attacked.”
Emma Crotty gave the Huskies a first-half lead, taking the Ferndale defense by surprise on a breakaway goal.
Erin Hunter would double the advantage in the second half, jumping on a Ferndale clearance, controlling the ball with a nice touch and finishing well.
“We controlled the game a little more in the second half, but Ferndale continued to push, especially towards the end as they looked for an equalizer,” Aguirre said.
Fortuna goalkeeper Bryce Sanderson continued to impress with some key saves to keep a dangerous Ferndale attack at bay.
The Wildcats utilized a new 4-3-3 formation to take advantage of the multiple options they have in attack, including Macie Wantt, Madison Hagemann and Teresa Catana-Moreno, the latter of whom returned to the lineup after a short injury layoff.
“I feel like we have a lot of depth up top,” Licona said. “Those three up front, they were causing havoc, and it was really good to see.”
Defensive midfielder Gianna Regli also impressed as she continues to help set the tone for the Cats, while the ever-consistent Claire Renner did a good job anchoring the defense.
“(Gianna) played a heck of a game. She was the first to every ball and her presence really stood out in the middle,” Licona said. “As well as Claire Renner. She never stopped running. She’s one of the most consistent players we have.”
With the loss, the Cats dropped to 8-6-2, while the Huskies improved to 11-2-2.
“Overall it was a hard-earned victory, and I’m proud of the girls for continuing to push and finding a way even when things weren’t going our way,” Aguirre said.
