The Bruin girls varsity soccer team started their 2023/24 season on the road, traveling to Douglas, Coquille, North Valley, and Sutherlin going .500 with a 2-2 record away from home before meeting with the undefeated North Valley Lady Knights again for the Bruin girls first home game of the season.
In a rare early Saturday afternoon game time, head coach Brian Carlson and his BHHS Bruin girls varsity soccer team hosted the 3-0 undefeated Lady Knights just four days after falling to North Valley in Grants Pass last Tuesday.
With both teams still holding memories from their previous encounter, the beginning of the game consisted of two teams determined to control the ball as well as position that increased in intensity as the game progressed.
Things changed when freshman, Ellie Hanneman, #11, lined up a direct free kick for the Bruin girls after a dangerous play penalty was called against a North Valley defender 28 yards out on the left side of the penalty box 26 minutes into the first half. Hanneman curled the ball over the North Valley keepers head and into the right corner of the goal, stunning the Lady Knights and giving the Bruin girls a 1-0 lead.
The confident North Valley team was clearly caught on their heels and now rallied up the intensity physically in a desperate attempt to even the score as quickly as possible to negate any momentum the Bruin girls had earned with goal, however, the Bruin girls matched play, holding the Lady Knights scoreless in the first half, taking that 1-0 lead into the break.
The animated discussion during the half from the North Valley huddle would directly translate to second half action as the Lady Knights came out on a mission with aggressive attacks on Bruin girl midfielders, allowing only short quick possession before contact in attempts to dislodge possessions and force turnovers with brute force.
Just 9:00 minutes into the chaos that ensued early in the second half of play, an attempt to clear a ball deep in the left corner put a deflection right in front of the Bruin girls goal that senior keeper Dakota Greenwood got a hand on as the North Valley forward desperately stretched to get her foot on, scoring to tie the game with 30:00 minutes left to play.
Then the gloves came off and a soccer game broke out. Both teams had chances in front the others goal, and both teams failed to score as the fans were treated to an intense 30:00 minutes of offensive attacks and defensive stops between two equally matched teams who now have a record with each other, and may meet again later in the season as both teams begrudgingly accepted a 1-1 tie to end the game.
The Bruin girls will be at home Wednesday, hosting the 1-2-1 Cascade Christian Lady Challengers, with a 4:00pm kick-off at Bruin field.
