Mavs defeat Othello 2-1

MOSES LAKE — Tuesday night’s non-league girls soccer match between Moses Lake and Othello was called early after an Othello player suffered an injury in the 72nd that required an ambulance to come onto the field. 

The injury occurred as the injured Othello player collided with a Moses Lake defender while on the attack just outside of the Maverick penalty area. 

“It’s just an unfortunate situation,” Othello head coach Victor Quiroz said. “They both were playing the ball, and (the injured Othello player) just got the worst of it. She was battling all game, and it's unfortunate it ended that way. She’s going to be alright, she’s a warrior – that's why she’s up here. She’s only a freshman, but she’s got that warrior inside of her.” 

Quiroz said the player suffered a head injury and was “super responsive” while down on the field. On Wednesday morning, the head coach wrote in a message to the Columbia Basin Herald that the player suffered a concussion and was able to be released from medical care later Tuesday evening. 

“With head injuries, you’ve got to be super careful – health is more important than a non-league game, so that’s why we decided to end the game there,” Quiroz said.  

Concern for the injured player was present on the Moses Lake sideline as well. 

“It’s always really hard to see, your own team or an opponent, anyone on the field go down like that and have to get taken out that way,” Moses Lake head coach Alysha Overland said. “We’re really thinking about her, I know all the girls were asking about her and hoping that she’s going to be okay.” 

Prior to the game being called, Moses Lake held a 2-1 advantage over the Huskies thanks to two second-half goals by senior Meadow Saenz, who scored in the 56th minute on a penalty kick, and sophomore Lindsey Davis, who buried a shot in the back of the net in the 66th minute. 

Moses Lake dominated in possession of the ball throughout the first half, but still found themselves down after Othello sophomore Brooklyn Hillman scored against the run of play in the 19th minute, beating the Maverick goalkeeper to the ball and arcing a shot into the goal. 

“We knew that we were dominating the possession game, we just had to come out and get some goals on the board,” Overland said. “The girls came out fighting and shooting like they were in the first half, and then finally took that PK opportunity and lit some fire under us. Then, that laser from Lindsey (Davis) on the cross.” 

Moses Lake recorded plenty of shot attempts in the first half – 16, to be exact – but only six were on target through 40 minutes. All six were saved by Othello goalkeeper Emi Pruneda, who had nine saves on the evening 

“Emi (Pruneda) demonstrates day in and day out why she’s first-team all-league,” Quiroz said. “She’s my best defender out here, just the way she saves and the way she guides her team and leads her team. It’s evident in how she plays. She’s going to tear it up this year.” 

Moses Lake hosts Sunnyside in its first conference game of the season Thursday at 7 p.m. while Othello plays Quincy on Saturday at home at noon in its first Central Washington Athletic Conference match of 2024. 

“To see the girls come together, put two goals together to get us the lead and the win in the end is huge for us,” Overland said. “I think we’re going to take this momentum from Saturday and (Tuesday’s) games and hopefully keep pushing on with it.” 

Box score 

OTH: 1-0 1 

MSLK: 0-2 2 

    Othello players celebrate after scoring a goal in the 19th minute against Moses Lake on Tuesday.
  

    Moses Lake junior Amaya Perez, in maroon, brings the ball up the field against Othello on Tuesday night.