The secret to success for the Columbia River girls soccer team is going full-tilt all the time.
And that approach paid off with two late goals Tuesday as the Rapids rallied to beat Ridgefield 2-1.
“I’ve told this team all year that we have a really deep team, a really deep bench,” River coach Filly Afenegus said. “And that benefits us a lot of the times on the back end of matches. … It allows us to play at a 100 percent. All 11 players are playing at 100 percent. Because we have that depth, we can get players rest so everyone on the field is giving 100 percent.”
River found itself in an early 1-0 deficit after Claire Jones scored off a free kick from 45 yards in the fifth minute.
And it looked like that 1-0 lead would stand up. But in the 75th minute, Avah Eslinger got River that first goal that the Rapids had been pushing for.
“I think overall, we were trying to find the wide spaces and exploit them, and keep on driving,” Eslinger said. “We were able to give it our all, which is why we were able to execute.”
Buoyed by the goal, River turned up the intensity even more and that allowed Ivy Henderson to punch in the Rapids’ second goal in the 78th minute.
“Basically, it was just keeping up the intensity,” Henderson said about the Rapids’ approach in the second half. “During the (first) half, we put out a lot of intensity, and we wanted to keep pushing them and making them more tired throughout the whole game.”
Afenegus applauded the effort of both players. Andie Buckley and Logann Dukes supplied the assists.
“(Eslinger is) an outside back by trade,” he said. “We put her out front, and she’s been incredible up there. She’s starting to find finishing form. And Ivy, she’s always got herself in the right positions. Both were able to execute in those defining moments.”
Afenegus also credited River’s backline to keeping Ridgefield from adding to its early lead, and the effort of the midfielders to get the Rapids in position to convert late.
“It was just a really, really good team win,” Afenegus said.
With the first half of league play concluded, Tuesday’s win left River tied with Ridgefield and R.A. Long atop the league standings at 6-1.
“It’s always like this in the 2A GSHL,” Afenegus said. “I always stand behind the fact that it is the best 2A league in the state. And I don’t think it’s close honestly. It’s going to be a tough campaign for everybody. But that also gets you battled-tested for playoffs.”
And like Eslinger’s goal helped spark River on Tuesday night, Henderson believes Tuesday win can propel the Rapids into the second of league play.
“It actually means so much for us,” Henderson said. “We’ve been working so hard to just play this team. And having the ability to actually beat a team that we knew was really good gives us that extra kick.”
