The host Soldotna boys soccer team moved to 2-0 in the Peninsula Conference and 3-0 overall with a 4-1 victory over Nikiski on Monday. The Bulldogs fall to 0-2 and 0-5.
The game was a tale of two games.
In the first half, Soldotna head coach Erik Dolphin played his varsity. The Stars took a 2-0 lead on goals by Dylan Walton and Josh Hieber, but Dolphin was not happy with the showing.
“We played pretty poorly in the first half,” Dolphin said.
Nikiski coach Harrison Deveer said his squad played well in the first half.
“We did play a solid first half,” Deveer said. “They had their varsity in during the first half and we only let in two goals.”
Deveer said Ayden Flemming was playing goalie for the first time. The coach said Flemming did a good job, but the two goals would have been saved by a goalie with more experience.
Deveer added that Trevor Mysing and Christopher Druesedow both played really well on defense.
In the second half, Dolphin put his junior varsity on the field and Nikiski cut the gap to 2-1 when Austin Stafford scored on an assist from Gavin White.
“In the second half I was disappointed with the way we played,” Deveer said. “We had that goal to get it to 2-1, then we got really lazy on the defensive end and gave up a few goals on breakaways.”
Gehret Medcoff, the varsity goalie, finished both of those goals for the Stars.
Soldotna girls 11, Nikiski 0
The host Stars rolled past the Bulldogs, playing a fifth game in seven days, in Peninsula Conference play. Soldotna moves to 2-0-1 and 1-0-1 in the league, while Nikiski falls to 0-2 and 0-6.
“Overall, I thought the girls played well and moved the ball well,” Soldotna head coach Jimmy Love said. “They took shots and were patient.”
Love said the game started off on a nice goal, with Bay Bloom slotting home a header on a corner kick from Sierra Kuntz.
Bloom and Rhys Cannava would go on to record hat tricks. Bloom’s second goal was assisted by Cannava and Kuntz and her third goal was assisted by Kuntz, while Cannava’s goals were assisted by Katie Delker, unassisted and Charyze Ray.
Morgan Lemm had a pair of goals for the Stars, unassisted and assisted by Liberty Miller and Ray. Also scoring for the Stars were Liberty Miller from Delker, Lily Coon from Kuntz, and Ray from Grace McElroy.
Sunny Miller and Isabella Rodriguez split the shutout in net.
Nikiski coach Angie Coelho said her team has still not been able to practice on a field, so facing a powerhouse like Soldotna was tough. Coelho said the Bulldogs were looking to find areas to work on rather than being concerned with getting the win.
Coelho said Diva Thies played well on defense in both the varsity and junior varsity game.
Love said he understands where Coelho is coming from. Even with turf, Love said he, parents and players had to put in a tough Sunday clearing the field of snow and ice so the game could be played.
“I understand and feel for them,” Love said. “It’s just the wrong season for this sport, but I don’t think that’s ever going to change.”
