One of the 5A teams HRV had on its list to beat during its nonconference schedule this season got the better of the Eagles Tuesday night, when the Hillsboro Spartans (2-0) used a strong first half to get out in front of HRV, handing the team its first loss of the season.
In the first 40 minutes, HRV (2-1) looked quite different from the team that walloped Mac-Hi just a few days ago, scoring six goals in the first half. Head Coach Kevin Haspela said his athletes didn’t look like they had much pizazz in the first half, as the Pioneers rolled to a 4-2 win.
“The team played flat in the first half. We gave them too much space with the ball, didn’t follow marks on give and go plays, and they were able to unlock our defense,” he said. “A few errors were costly and they went up 3-0 by the 31st minute.”
Striker Cielo Rivera took advantage of a deflected Hillsboro goalkeeper clear in the 35th minute to put away HRV’s first score of the game, narrowing the gap to 3-1 at the half. However, the Spartans capitalized on a defensive breakdown in the 57th minute and went up by three goals once again.
“The team played through the adversity, however, and I was impressed by their effort in the second half,” Haspela noted. “Hillsboro let off the gas and we were back in the game. Claire Davies led a counter attack in the 65th minute and placed a through pass to Halle Campos who scored to make it 4-2… By the end of the game we learned that we can absolutely play with a team like Hillsboro and players were hungry to see them possibly in the playoffs.”
Unlike the previous contest, HRV keeper Claire Oswald was much busier in net, who played a full 80 minutes, during which she recorded five saves.
HRV 4 at Franklin 1
The Eagles turned around on Thursday to play another road game, this time in Portland against 6A Franklin (1-2).
Again, HRV struggled to get going in the first half and conceded a goal as Franklin chipped a shot past senior Eagles keeper Vanessa Silva. From there on out, though, it was all HRV. Campos knocked one in during the 32nd minute, assisted by junior midfielder Avrie Van Tilburg to tie the game up before the half.
In the 55th minute, Davies would score what would prove to be the game-winner, connecting on a 35-yard free kick. Haspela said with the wind in their favor and their counterattack clicking, HRV dominated possession for the rest of the game. Van Tilburg and junior middie Ashlee Ponce tallied the final scores of the game but their first-ever varsity goals, following shots and finishing to put the Eagles up 4-1.
HRV continues their road trip on Tuesday with a 4 p.m. game at Reynolds High (1-1) in Troutdale (a 6A school), and then returns home Sept. 17 for another 6A matchup with West Albany (2-1) that will start at Henderson Community Stadium at noon.
Commented