Playing without their leading goal scorer, the JDHS girls soccer team dropped a 1-0 nonconference contest to West Anchorage High School on Saturday morning at Adair-Kennedy Memorial Field.
JDHS furnished a 3-0 win over the Eagles on Thursday night, when junior Malia Miller (seven goals) turned an ankle in the first half that shut her down for Saturday’s game.
It was JDHS’ first loss and just the second time they have allowed a goal this season. The Eagles improve to 4-1-2 on the year while the Crimson Bears fall to 5-1-0.
West sophomore Julia Johnson scored the game-winning goal with around 10 minutes left in the game. Johnson flew to the net and tipped in the ball just after keeper Shaylin Cesar made a one-handed stop on sophomore Skyler Helgeson’s shot.
“We played a lot better today than two days ago when we played them,” Johnson said. “We were making better plays so I just thought, ‘We got to get one of them in because we’re playing so much better.’”
Helgeson and senior Isabella Roberts kept Cesar busy throughout the game with numerous shots.
In the eighth minute, Cesar just beat Roberts to a well-placed pass near the top of the penalty box, inverting the West striker in the air for an uneasy moment.
JDHS head coach Matt Dusenberry said his team shouldn’t feel too bad about the loss.
“While we don’t like to lose, we can’t hang our head completely with just a 1-0 game,” Dusenberry said. “We certainly were in this match.”
Junior Michaela Bentley scored two second-half goals in the Crimson Bears’ 3-0 win on Thursday.
“I knew I had to work up to how aggressive to how Malia plays,” Bentley said.
“We’ve been playing together since we were like five, so we’re used to each other on the field,” she added. “So not having her (on the field), it’s like, I’m looking for Malia and then she’s not there.”
JDHS senior Marlena Romanoff scored the first goal of the game in the 10th minute.
“Knowing that we were up one-nothing at half, we knew that all we really needed to do was defend and we walk out with the ‘W,’” Dusenberry said. “Luckily, we were able to get two more in there, too.”
Bentley made it 2-0 in the 42nd minute on a 36-yard shot that remained on the grass most of the way. To make it 3-0, the junior elevated a 33-yarder that caught goaltender Marisol Vargas off guard.
Roberts produced her team’s best scoring opportunity not long before Bentley’s second goal.
Sophomore Kiara Melendez made a gorgeous pass to Roberts, who was being chased by several defenders. Roberts mustered a short shot on the net, but Cesar made a diving save to keep the shutout alive. Cesar turned aside eight shots in the shutout.
• Contact sports reporter Nolin Ainsworth at 523-2272 or nainsworth@juneauempire.com.
