Young Chelan squad falls to Tenino in season opener, 3-1

TENINO — The Chelan High School girls' soccer team opened their season with a 3-1 loss to Tenino High School in a non-league match on Saturday.

The Goats, fielding a young squad after graduating eight seniors last year, held their own in a closely contested first half. Tenino broke the deadlock midway through the first period, capitalizing on a counterattack following a controversial non-call on a potential handball in the Chelan penalty area.

Chelan's defense, led by junior goalkeeper Avari Barker, kept the score at 1-0 going into halftime. Barker made several crucial saves throughout the match, as her newly formed backline of freshmen Reeghan Lake and Denali Corrigan, along with juniors Lelani Avail and Reagan Puryear, worked to establish cohesion.

Tenino, bolstered by the return of two key players who sat out the first half due to disciplinary reasons, extended their lead with two goals in the second half.

The Goats managed to break through in the closing minutes when sophomore Madeline Cowan found the back of the net, scoring Chelan's first goal of the season.

Despite the loss, Chelan's coaching staff saw promise in the team's performance, particularly noting the contributions of four freshmen starters.

Chelan will look to build on this experience as they prepare for their first home conference match against the Omak Pioneers on Thursday, September 12.