HIGHLAND PARK - With the second cycle of the fall sports season getting under way, the Mifflin County girls soccer team is getting a second look at its Mid-Penn Conference foes.
Saturday, Mifflin County hosted state-ranked Red Land in a Saturday morning contest and the Huskies proved that they can play with the best of them.
After allowing seven goals in their first contest to the Patriots, Mifflin County's defense kept the visitors' offense in check this time, allowing just two goals in the 2-0 Red Land decision.
Mifflin County goalie Halle Fisher had a strong showing in the net, stopping 12 of 14 shots for the Huskies.
The Patriots collected one goal in each half to take the victory.
Mifflin County coach Steven DeArment was very proud of the effort his team gave Saturday.
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* Mifflin County travels to Cedar Cliff Tuesday
"I think we played quite well today. The result didn't go our way today obviously but their a top 10 ranked team in the state so they're an excellent soccer team," DeArment said. "I think both goals we should have had some thing to say about it. That game gave was played even. They enjoyed more of the possession but we defended well and I think we did quite a nice job."
Red Land got the opening possession and directly went down into the Huskies' back third to start things off.
However, it would be Mifflin County that would produce the first shot on goal when Mackenzie Sweitzer got loose on a breakaway and shot wide left of the goal.
The Mifflin County possession would not last long as the Patriots took the ensuing ball and went back down into the Huskies' half of the field and produced a shot of their own. Momentum started to even out early on as the two teams moved to midfield play for most of the first half.
With 18:32 left in the first half, Red Land cracked the Mifflin County defense for it first goal of the game. The Patriots set up for their first corner opportunity and Erin Keller found teammate Bryce Watts for a wide open shot, making it 1-0.
Both teams worked through some rough field conditions, slipping and sliding on cuts, battles for the ball and possessions.
Fisher shined for the Huskies in the second half, collecting 10 saves in a half that saw the Patriots' offense starting to get shot opportunities. Fisher and the Mifflin County defense were relentless with just one shot getting into the goal.
Lady luck lended an assist to the Patriots at the 34:30 mark of the second when Marisa Yeager got a pass from teammate Maddie Todd and sent a shot at the right side of the Huskies' goal. The ball bounced off the side bar and hit the shoulder of Fisher and into the net, increasing the Red Land lead to 2-0.
From there, the Patriots' offense proved to be the best defense against Mifflin County as they continued their shooting barrage at the Mifflin County goalkeeper.
"We are about midway through the season now. At the beginning of the season we played them at their place and it was 7-1. They were just running all over us and today was a soccer game and they new when they came here," DeArment said. "We're a different team now then we were when we started the season. We are making some great progress and we have some games coming up that we can win if we play like this the results are going to go our way. The girls are working hard and looked pretty good today."
