WINNEMUCCA - After practicing for three weeks, the Lowry High School junior varsity boys soccer team hit the field this past Saturday at home at Jerry Tobin Field.
Schedulers provided the Buckaroos with a stern test to begin with as Lowry took on perennial power Truckee. The Wolverines proved to be too much, winning 4-1.
"Considering we are three weeks into the season and we haven't played a game yet, I thought we did OK," said LHS head coach Ron Espinola. "It would have been nice to see where we were at. Of course there are things that we can improve on. We have some kids that have never played soccer before and they are starting to step up. To come out and play OK against a tough program like Truckee showed promise for us."
The match was scoreless for the first 15 minutes, when the Wolverines broke on the board with a shot into the bottom right corner of the net. Truckee increased its lead to 2-0 with a goal in the 27th minute off a defensive breakdown by Lowry.
The Buckaroos had a couple of scoring chances early in the match, the best coming in the 30th minute, but the shot went right of the post on the goal.
Truckee increased the advantage to 4-0 with goals in the 34th and 40th minutes, when Lowry climbed on the board for the first time. In the beginning stages of extra time, the Buckaroos' Ariel Gonzalez found the back of the net off a corner kick.
The match went scoreless in the second half, with the Buckaroos trying out different formations.
"I liked the way we played in the second half," added the coach. "I wanted to try some different things and I thought we did a good job. It was good for us to step out against a really good program and see where we are at. We will see them again and we will be able to chart our program. I look for really good things from this group. They are having a good time and they are fun to be around.
Lowry travels to Sparks on Friday for a 3 p.m. start and play at South Tahoe on Saturday at 11 a.m.
"We talked a little bit after the game and I don't want to say that we were satisfied with the outcome," Espinola said. "We are taking a lot of pride in what we have done so far. We know where we need to improve and the kids are excited about that opportunity. The kids said this was the best they have ever done against Truckee. For me that is in the past and we can set our sights higher."
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