Wahluke defeats Warden 4-0 at home
Casey McCarthy/Columbia Basin Herald Wahluke's Ana Andrade tries to make her way past the Warden defender near the goal in the first half of the Warriors' 4-0 win.
Casey McCarthy/Sun Tribune Wahluke sophomore Alondra Lozano dribbles past Warden defender Lily Martinez (2) on the sideline last Thursday.
Casey McCarthy/Columbia Basin Herald Quinn Erdmann dribbles in the Wahluke half in the Cougars' 4-0 defeat on the road on Thursday.
Casey McCarthy/Columbia Basin Herald Alondra Lozano fires a shot from outside the box for Wahluke. Lozano had a pair of goals in the win.
MATTAWA — Wahluke girls soccer defeated Warden at home 4-0. Both teams were undefeated in the South Central Athletic Conference East entering the matchup.
The Warriors opened the game up early on, with Ana Andrade scoring the first goal off an assist from Jessica Macias. Alondra Lozano scored a long ball from deep in the box to double the lead before halftime for Wahluke.
Lozano scored her second of the game late in the second half with another ball from outside the box. Karla Gonzalez picked up the final goal of the game, beating the keeper for an unassisted goal to finish off the scoring as the Warriors held on for the shutout.
Wahluke head coach Cele Lopez said he could tell his team had a lot of energy in practice the day before the match and just hoped it would carry over.
“They really like to attack, and I think we have a really solid defense,” Lopez said. “We’ve played seven times now and we’ve only been scored on twice, so we’re pretty balanced between offense and defense so far.”
Lozano, who joined the team late, is a player Lopez said he’s really confident in.
“I know she has a leg,” Lopez said. “That’s why I like to start her in the back as a center mid, and she’ll always have those opportunities on the eighteen all the time.”
Lopez said he wants to see the team become more consistent up top, as the Wahluke coach said the team had plenty of chances tonight and that they probably should have converted on a few more.
“If we can work on that and create finishing, I think we’ll be pretty good,” Lopez said.
Warden head coach BryLee Whitney said her team simply didn’t play well in the match. Whitney said it happens, and that her team will get better and come back.
“The league’s not over, barely halfway there,” Whitney said. “Still a lot of time, a lot of games to play.”
Whitney said she wants her team to get back to playing their own game, and credited Wahluke on playing well in the matchup in every facet.
Next up for Warden is a road game against Connell, while the Warriors will face Chelan at home in their next game.