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John Braese
FRUITLAND, ID. – On Sept. 4, the Idaho Grizzlies of Fruitland rolled into La Grande and downed the Tiger’s girls’ soccer team 5-3 in La Grande’s second match of the season.
On Saturday, behind Paige Allen’s three goals, the Tiger repaid the loss, winning over Fruitland in a 3-1 nonleague game in Fruitland.
The two teams had barely taken the field before Allen punched in her first goal of the day at the 38:35 mark in the first half. Fruitland tied up the game with the Grizzlies’ lone goal seven minutes later with the two teams then settling down to play defense.
Allen’s next goal came at the 18:55 point of the first half and she completed her “hat trick” as the clock showed 11:25 with her shot just extending inches above the Fruitland keeper’s outstretched fingertips.
Neither team could find the back of the net in the second half.
“I was just wide open in the middle of that final goal,” said Allen after the victory. “I knew it was close and the keeper might get a finger on it.”
“I thought we showed a lot more confidence today than the first time we played Fruitland,” said junior Peyton Daggett. “As a team, we just felt better going into this one.”
The teammates did disagree on future opponents most wanting to see on the field.
“I want to play to see Pendleton this season,” Allen said. “We never did beat them last year, losing to them once and tying them on the second time we played.”
“I want The Dalles,” Daggett commented. “We lost to them by a single goal last season in a game we should have won.”
Daggett will receive her wish first as La Grande (3-1-1 overall) hosts The Dalles (3-0 overall) on Tuesday, Sept. 17. Allen will need to wait until Oct. 8 until the Tigers and Buckaroos meet up on the field.
