Girls soccer finds groove on road trip
The Lady Bulldog soccer team returned from a road trip to Bozeman with good results.
Whitefish edged Park High 3-2 and tied Belgrade 1-1.
“On the road, having come back with a win and tie is a good weekend,” Whitefish coach Wendy Farrens said. “Both games were hard fought for 80 minutes. It’s good to get two tough games under the belt coming into a long stretch of conference games.”
Whitefish took control at Park High early.
Grace Kurtz scored three minutes into the match off an assist from Jess Baldonado. Haley Nicholson followed three minutes later with a goal to give the Lady Dogs a 2-0 advantage at half time.
Park countered after the break and scored the equalizer in the 61st minute.
Nicholson hit the game-winner just before the final whistle off an assist from Anna Peterson.
The next day at Belgrade, Whitefish battled to a 1-1 draw.
Belgrade scored first in the 61st minute.
McKayla Stone netted the equalizer for Whitefish off an assist from Peterson in the 71st minute.
Farrens said the Dogs’ defense was tough in both matches.
“We were able to shut down most of the attacks,” Farrens said.
On Sept. 10, Whitefish shutout Libby 6-0 for a critical conference victory.
Nicholson put in four goals and Baldonado scored twice in the win.
“Winning our first conference game was a nudge in right direction,” Farrens said. “It gave us confidence going into the weekend.”
She said her team has started to gel.
“We’re still working on team tactics, but it’s starting to click now,” she said.
Whitefish played Polson on Tuesday. They travel to Libby on Saturday.
Libby 0 0 — 0
Whitefish 5 1 — 6
W — Haley Nicholson (Grace Kurtz) 7’
W — Jess Baldonado, (Kurtz) 12’
W — Nicholson (Kurtz) 15’
W — Boldonado 18’
W— Nicholson (Julia Houston) 29’
W — Nicholson (Kurtz) 74’
Shots on goal — Libby 0, Whitefish 26. Corner kicks — Whitefish 7, Libby 1, Saves — Libby 6 saves (Shannon Reny, Abby Ennenga), Whitefish 0 (Kess Nelson). Fouls — Libby 6, Whitefish 8. Cards — None
Whitefish 2 1 — 3
Livingston 0 2 — 2
WHITEFISH — Grace Kurtz (Jess Baldonado), 3:00; Haley Nicholson (Julia Houston), 6:00; Nicholson (Anna Peterson), 78:00
LIVINGSTON — Jordon DeZoto 53:00; Chelsey Woods 61:00
Shots — Whitefish 13, Park 10. Saves — Whitefish 9 (Kess Nelson), Park 6 (Olga Mogen) Corner kicks — Whitefish 3, Park 1, Fouls — Whitefish 4, Park 2
Hamilton girls 5 Loyola 2
Hamilton:
Kendal Gordon 3 goals
Brianna Huggans 1 goal
Kara Weese 1 goal, 2 assists...
Baylie Duce 1 assist
Brianna Abrahamssen 1 assist
Whitefish 0 1 — 1
Belgrade 0 1 — 1
WHITEFISH — McKayla Stone (Anna Peterson), 71st
BELGRADE — Carlie Smith (Octavia Durnam), 60th
Shots on goal — Whitefish 14, Belgrade 9; Goalie saves — Whitefish 7 (Kess Nelson), Belgrade 7 (Emily Cady); Corner kicks — Whitefish 2, Belgrade 2; Fouls — Whitefish 5, Belgrade 6; Cards — Both teams 1 yellow.