CHS girls’ soccer opens league with win over P-Hill

The Creswell Lady Bulldogs opened girls’ soccer league play last week by defeating the host Pleasant Hill Billies 4-2 on Sept. 10. The Lady Dawgs followed that by battling visiting Santiam Christian to a 1-1 tie in a nonleague contest on Sept. 12.
At Pleasant Hill, the Billies scored first, but senior Hallie Drago answered for Creswell, pressuring the Billies’ keeper to put the ball into the back of the net.
The Billies took a 2-1 lead midway through the first half, but again the Lady Dawgs answered with a second goal from Drago to tie it 2-2 at the half.
“At halftime we talked about working together as a team, finding more passes and letting the ball do the work,” said Head Coach Janelle Sailer. “The girls really took it to heart and came out fired up in the second half.”
In the 63rd minute, the Lady Dawgs took the lead for good as senior Hannah Bettis took a free kick from about 40 yards out. “It was a floater near post where fellow senior Allison Smathers was waiting with a perfect header into the goal,” Sailer said.
Ten minutes later, the Lady Dawgs iced the cake as sophomore Abby Mercer “did a great give-and-go with Hallie on the right side and continued her run, making the keeper fumble the ball so Abby could put it in the back of the net.”
Goalkeeper Tabetha Donovan had eight saves for Creswell.
The Lady Dawgs started with a bang against Santiam Christian, as freshman Brielle Brick dribbled down the left side and scored within the first minute of the game. But the Eagles tied it in the 22nd minute, and despite a hard-fought battle on both sides, the remainder of the game was scoreless to preserve the 1-1 tie.
Donovan made 11 saves in goal for the Lady Dawgs.
“It’s been a good beginning of the season as we continue to work on teamwork, possession and communication out on the field,” Sailer said.