Last night, the girls varsity soccer team faced the Northern Huskies in an epic battle. The Rangers were looking to defeat their rivals yet again, but ultimately fell short. The team suffered a heart-wrenching loss when a Husky goal was scored within the final 10 seconds of the game, ending the game 1-0.

Even with the tough loss, there were a few key players and the team maintained its amazing dynamic. Following a weak first half, the ladies came into the second half better prepared and ready to get back in the game. Throughout the second half the girls moved the ball better and worked well as a team.

“In the beginning Northern came out pretty strong and some people were on their heels, but we brought it together in the second half and we really fought and kept it in their half a lot more,”  freshman Autumn Burns said.

The Rangers gave themselves quality chances and opportunities but couldn’t quite find the back of the net. Even against such a difficult opponent, the starters and subs stepped up and fought hard, especially the backline. The subs gave great intensity and quality minutes to the team.

“Last night the players off the bench really did a great job coming in and giving us a spark,” senior Emma yoder said.

Among the standout players, Autumn was especially key by playing hard in the back field and she kept good composure, which spread to the rest of the defensive line.

“Autumn sees the field and often creates offensive opportunities for us because of her knowledge of the game and distribution skills,” head coach Ashley Ludtke said.

Facing a tough loss like this gives a team a chance to reflect upon themselves and what they can work on. For the ladies, they will continue to find their teammates’ feet giving them more opportunities to score overall. The Rangers currently stand at 10-2 this season. The girls look ahead to their next game against Ottawa Hills this upcoming monday.

“For our next game I think that we need to just focus on putting the ball in the back of the net; you can’t win any games if you don’t score,” Emma said. “That’s what we will continue to focus on with our upcoming practices.”