Girls soccer downed by C-Falls

By FAITH MOLDAN

Bigfork Eagle

After a great first half, the Bigfork High School girls soccer team was unable to stop the Columbia Falls Wildkats in the second half of their match Saturday afternoon in the Vals' 8-1 loss.

Freshman Quinci Paine scored Bigfork's only goal in the 24th minute of the first half. The ball hit the crossbar and bounced in past the Kats' keeper to make the score 2-1 in favor of Columbia Falls.

"She's going to be a valuable asset," BHS coach Steve Koch said of Paine. "She's learning quickly and is very coachable."

Paine also took a number of shots on goal in the second half, but her efforts were thwarted by Wildkat keeper Colyne Hislop.

"I thought it was pretty great," Paine said of her goal. "It's a good feeling. It's difficult starting as a freshman."

Paine's fellow freshman Caitlin Charlebois crossed the ball to Paine for the assist on goal.

The Wildkats scored early in the game. Kassi Hebert scored both of Columbia Falls' first-half goals. Her first was in the 4th minute and the second came in the 8th minute. Columbia Falls led 2-1 at the half.

"I don't think they let us penetrate. We had our opportunities but missed them," Koch said.

Hebert scored again in the second half, as the Kats seemed to score at will. Jamie Valov scored four minutes into the second half and Hebert scored five minutes later.

"We broke down as a team," Paine said. "We lost our conditioning."

The Wildkats scored a total of six goals in the second half on two Bigfork keepers — Charlene Miller and Becca Denning.

"Charlene did well for her first time in the box," Koch said. Koch pulled Miller from the keeper position to add another field player and put Denning in the box halfway through the second half.

Koch also credited Jami Podobnik for playing great defense for the Vals.

"She's developing very well," Koch said. "She's putting in the work."

Despite the Vals' 8-1 loss, Koch said the team is way ahead of where it was at the end of last season and said the Vals will take one step at a time this season. Those steps continue Friday in Laurel and Saturday in Billings. The Vals play at 6 p.m. in Laurel and start at 10 a.m. in Billings. Their next conference match is Sept. 6 in Whitefish, an important game for the Vals and date Koch is looking forward to. The Vals are currently without three of their starters. Those three will be eligible to play again starting with the Whitefish match.

Columbia Falls 2 6 — 8

Bigfork 1 0 — 1

Columbia Falls — Kassi Hebert, 4:00; Hebert, 8:00; Jamie Valov, 44:00; Hebert, 49:00; Elene Potter (Lindsey Henning), 57:00; Kate Anderson (Henning), 73:00; Anderson (Valov), 75:00; Valov (Shelby Wiebelhaus), 81:00

Bigfork — Quinci Paine (Caitlin Charlebois), 24:00

Shots on goal — CF 24, BF 7

Corner kicks — CF 7, BF 3

Saves — CF 6 (Colyne Hislop), BF 11 (Charlene Miller NA, NA)

Fouls — CF 5, BF 4

Cards — None