Girls soccer: Clovis falls at Eldorado

ALBUQUERQUE — For the Clovis girls soccer team, it was a rough weekend.

After improving to 8-0 on Thursday, the Lady Wildcats traveled to Albuquerque for a pair of tough tests against Albuquerque High and Eldorado. And they fell 3-1 against former district foe Eldorado on Saturday morning, less than 24 hours after losing to Albuquerque High by eight on Friday.

Saturday’s game was obviously the more competitive of the two, tied 1-1 well into the second half before the Lady Eagles scored two unanswered goals.

“Compared to what happened (Friday against Albuquerque), the effort was there and the competitiveness,” Clovis head coach Traci Sievers said. “The things that we needed to do to compete we did. We just came up a little short.”

The Lady ’Cats are a team that thrives on youth, so it was ironic that youth did them in, as freshman Angel Vargas scored all three Eldorado goals. Vivian Bencomo and Hannah Dahl supplied assists.

Vargas’ first goal was unassisted and occurred in the 32nd minute, the only shot to find the opponent’s net during the first half.

Eight minutes into the second half, Clovis sophomore striker Madison Lynch connected on a direct kick from roughly 30 yards out, knotting the score at 1.

The game remained tied for 23 more minutes, before Vargas scored off a Bencomo feed. With three minutes remaining in the second half, Vargas completed her hat trick off Dahl’s assist.

Lady Wildcats senior goalie Jazmin Valdez, who had four saves, was unable to finish the game due to a bizarre play on which the knee brace she needed to wear bent as a result of a collision. Freshman keeper Ayden Dosher finished the game and recorded two saves.

The Lady ’Cats return to action Tuesday night, when they host area rival Portales at Leon Williams Stadium. Game time is scheduled for 6 p.m.