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Pitman girls finish stellar performance with tie
Pitman soccer 3
Junior Pride Ashleigh Phelps rips a shot from the corner of the outside box against Buhach Colony. Phelps would score the only goal for Pitman in similar fashion. - photo by EDDIE RUIZ / The Journal

The relentless attack of the Pitman Pride offense was unable to tack on more than one goal in Wednesday’s Central California Conference matchup against the Buhach Colony Thunder.

It wasn’t until the second half that the Pride were able to notch a goal but 15 minutes later the Thunder would respond with one of their own for the tie as the game ended in a 1-1 draw.

“That has been the story thus far, we just can’t score, especially early on. We came out aggressive. We had opportunities, just couldn’t find the back of the net,” Pitman head coach Cris Castro said.

The Pride were able to hold off on defense until the game tying goal came halfway through the second when Saide Montague got away from her defender and beat the back line and went on to strike the back of the net for the score.

Ashleigh Phelps, who would eventually come away with the team’s only goal, got a nice rip after a Janae Marable cross in the fifth minute, but was slightly off the post.

Less than 10 minutes later Phelps would set up Rayana Plancarte for a strike but it sailed away from the near post.

In the final 12 minutes of the half, the Pride would strike eight times, with six shots on goal from right, left, and up top.

“Offensively we battled, took some good shots just off the mark,” Castro said. We were setting the tempo and getting momentum and opportunity to put the game away, but it doesn’t always go in.”

Meghan Robinson would be subbed in and would get a look at two open shots, one which came inches away just seconds before the half.

 “For them [Buhach] it was a victory that they did not find themselves down as bad after we had so many shots. We countered and it was back and forth,” Castro said. “We just need to keep emphasizing being aggressive and taking the shots and doing that really, keep firing and eventually they will go in.”

The Pride find themselves with a 1-2-1 CCC record along a 2-2-1 overall posting as the Pride will square off in another CCC matchup against the Golden Valley Cougars at 4 p.m. Monday.

“We will emphasize to keep heads up and stay positive and work hard. At practice we will go to those things that we need to correct, which is finishing overall from all directions, front, right, left and we need that,” Castro said. “They are hard workers so we will keep that on a positive route and work hard.”