LocalSportsJournal.com
WHITEHALL — Whitehall overcame an early deficit and defeated the Hart Pirates Thursday in a West Michigan Conference match.
The host Vikings won, 3-2.
After the two teams battled evenly through the first 10 minutes, the Pirates were finally able to break through.
Sandy Salgado forced a turnover at the top of the Whitehall box and sent a shot at the goal. It was initially saved, but sophomore right wing Breslyn Porter was in the right spot and tapped the ball in the net to give Hart a 1-0 lead with 27 minutes left in the first half.
The Vikings’ sustained pressure led to a penalty kick that first-year keeper Mya Chickering stopped.
Whitehall finally caught a break down the right flank. Hart senior defender Melanie Arjona made a hustle play in an attempt to clear the ball off the line, but made an unfortunate touch knocked the ball in for an own goal and a 1-all tie.
Just over five minutes into the second half, Whitehall crossed a ball in from the right side and found a player unmarked at the back post and the Vikings took a 2-1 lead.
Hart answered that, though, with a goal by junior midfield Cris Rangel with a rocket that zipped past the Vikings keeper for a 2-all tie with 32:20 on the clock.
But the Vikings notched the game-winner three minutes later from a back post cross.
Chickering made eight saves in net for Hart, which lost 7-1 to the Vikings last year.
Whitehall improved its record to 3-0-1 in the conference as well as overall and is next scheduled to play Saturday in the Grand Rapids Catholic Rocket City Invite.
Hart fell to 0-3-1 overall, 0-2-0 in the conference, and is off until Monday when it hosts Oakridge.