Bigfork girls pick up win
The Bigfork girls soccer team was able to scratch one thing off of its to-do list last week — win a game.
The Valkyries dominated the girls from Stillwater Christian School in a home match last Tuesday night that resulted in a 12-1 victory for Bigfork.
"The Stillwater win was a complete team win," said Charlie Appleby, Bigfork girls head soccer coach. "While Stillwater is a new team and still building a program, it was nice to see our girls work together and do some of the things we've worked on all pre-season."
Senior Caitlin Charlebois got the scoring started for Bigfork with a goal during the first minute of the game with an assist from junior Miranda Miller. Senior Quinci Paine followed with a solo effort in the seventh minute. Charlebois put two more in, one in the ninth minute assisted by sophomore Kenna Hauns and another in the 14th minute assisted by Paine. Paine added another goal in the 19th minute and Miller in the 25th. Paine put in her third goal of the game in the 38th minute assisted by Charlebois.
Senior Jessica Killian got the first goal of the second half with a successful shot in the 46th minute. Charlebois put her fourth goal of the night in during the 60th minute with the help of senior Taylor McElroy. Bigfork forced an own goal a minute later, and one minute after that Hauns put the ball back in the net for an unassisted goal of her own. McElroy headed the ball in during the 76th minute off a kick from Charlebois for the Vals' 12th and final goal of the night.
During 80th minute Stillwater's McKenzie Hemp saved her team from being shut out by putting in an unassisted goal.
"I think it gave us the confidence to go out and compete against the other teams in our division, and I think that we really needed a little confidence after a tough start to the season," Appleby said. "It was also nice to give some of my girls that are injured but still playing a nice long rest. Three of my starting defenders are nursing foot and knee injuries and I could allow them some time on the bench and give our newest girls more real game-time experience. Only having three subs did make for some creative playing spots though, and some girls got to see playing time in positions they have not played before."
Although the girls were up from their Thursday night, they fell to a strong Whitefish team 4-0.
Bigfork allowed the Lady Bulldogs to score two goals in each of the halves all by different players.
"Two of their goals were just spectacular shots that we weren't ready to cover, and two were breakaways on transition," Appleby said. "That is something we definitely have to work on."
Whitefish took 26 shots on Bigfork's goal while the Vals took just eight. Callie Marsh, who had five saves for Whitefish, was credited with the shutout. Bigfork goalie Sierra Fischer had 10 saves.
"Whitefish was a tough loss, but it was the first game that I felt we played well throughout," Appleby said. "While we didn't have as many chances as I'd hoped to score, we did threaten their defense, and we did spend time on their side of the field both in the first half and the second."
On Tuesday the Bigfork girls (0-2 and 1-4, overall) played in Libby.
Tomorrow, Sept. 17, the Vals host Columbia Falls. The girls were originally scheduled to play at 6 p.m. after the boys' game. However, the Columbia Falls boys had to forfeit that game due to a lack of players following a school-related disciplinary action.
At press time, Bigfork Activities Director Matt Porrovecchio said that the schools were leaning toward moving the girls' game to the 4 p.m. time slot, but a decision had not been made between the schools on whether the boys teams would still play a scrimmage or junior varsity game or not.
Once a decision is made concerning both the boy's and girls' playing schedule for Friday, Porrovecchio will make the appropriate updates to the teams' schedule son www.highschoolsports.net.
RESULTS
Bigfork 12, Stillwater Christian 1
Stillwater 0 1 — 1
Bigfork 7 5 — 12
BF - Caitlin Charlebois (Miranda Miller), 1:00
BF - Quinci Paine, 7:00
BF - Charlebois (Kenna Hauns), 9:00
BF - Charlebois (Paine), 14:00
BF - Paine, 19:00
BF - Miller, 25:00
BF - Paine (Charlebois), 38:00
BF - Jessica Killian, 46:00
BF - Charlebois (Taylor McElroy), 60:00
BF - Own goal, 61:00
BF - Hauns, 62:00
BF - McElroy (Charlebois), 76:00
SC - McKenzie Hemp, 80:00
Shots on goal — Stillwater 3, Bigfork 31; Goalie saves — Stillwater 11 (Joanna Kauffman), Bigfork 2 (Sierra Fischer); Corner kicks — Stillwater 4, Bigfork 12; Fouls — Stillwater 3, Bigfork 11; Cards — None
Whitefish 4, Bigfork 0
Whitefish 2 2 — 4
Bigfork 0 0 — 0
Whitefish — Natalie Gayner (Sam Dittman), 2:00; Presley Pritchard (Gayner), 23:00; Caroline Carbo (Gayner), 47:00; Jordan Carper (Dittman), 70:00.
Shots on goals — Whitefish 26, Bigfork 8; Corner kicks — Whitefish 8, Bigfork 1; Goalie saves — Whitefish 5 (Callie Marsh), Bigfork 10 (NA); Fouls — Whitefish 3, Bigfork 1; Cards — None.