CALISTOGA — A team the Upper Lake Cougars thoroughly dominated less than a month ago evened things up on their home pitch Wednesday afternoon as the Calistoga Wildcats won 4-2 in North Central League III girls soccer action.
“I had some girls who played well but the team as a whole didn’t,” Upper Lake coach Daniella Santana said. “Calistoga was a very different team the first time we played them.”
Upper Lake beat Calistoga 7-3 on Sept. 27 in Upper Lake. This time around the Wildcats, who are not among the top teams in the NCL III, made the Cougars (3-3 league, 8-6 overall) pay for their mistakes.
“In the first half we were not clearing the ball properly,” Santana said. “We were clearing the ball in front of our goal or right to their players. They have a really good forward, No. 13, and she dominated our defensive line.”
Calistoga led 2-1 at halftime and added two more goals in the second half on a penalty kick and free kick for a 4-1 lead. Vanessa Beccera-Lopez scored a goal in each half for Upper Lake. Hailey Reams and Karlee Zimmerschied picked up assists.
While the Cougars as a group didn’t turn in the kind of effort Santana was expecting, she said a handful of players did come through with solid performances. They included Beccera-Lopez, Maddy Young and Monique Campanero.
Upper Lake returns to action Friday in Laytonville at 4:30 p.m.
