WHS BOYS' SOCCER: Saints top Trojans 2-1

WORTHINGTON -- Worthington's boys' soccer team suffered its first loss of the season, falling to St. Peter 2-1 at Trojan Field Wednesday.

St. Peter applied a defense the Trojans had never gone up against and by the time WHS adjusted, it was too late.

"This was the first time that they've seen an opponent play an upside trap," WHS coach Smitty Ektnitphong said. "The first steps weren't there, the passes weren't sharp and we couldn't make an adjustment until the second half."

Worthington nearly found the back of the net with 27:30 remaining in the first half when the ball scrambled throughout the box and Filmon Mesfun was able to get a foot on it, but wasn't able to get enough leg behind it with St. Peter's defense collapsing on him.

"I think we came out kind of slow," Ektnitphong said. "The other team just took it to us. St. Peter pressured us with traps and we just couldn't get off of it at the beginning.

"It takes a lot of team discipline to play a defense like that and clearly they have been practicing it and I have to commend St. Peter on it."

Abdi Hussein sent a perfect backdoor pass through the box to the foot of Abdifatah Bashir and Bashir slid the ball into the open net to make it 1-0 with 26:30 remaining in the first half. Hussein's pass not only fooled the entire WHS defense, but seemingly fooled himself, as he went to the wrong bench upon checking out of the game right after scoring the goal.

With just under nine minutes left in the first half, St. Peter had a golden opportunity to make it a 2-0 cushion. Bashir flew past the Worthington defense, including goalie Kody Honius, and tapped what seemingly was his second goal of the game toward the net. WHS's Randy Lopez had other plans, as the defender came diving in from the left to redirect the ball wide of the net.

With just over 20 minutes gone by in the second half, St. Peter's Ezekiel Kyoore broke by a Trojan defender in the left corner of the box before another Trojan defender took him down. It was ruled a penalty kick and Kyoore made it 2-0 with a shot low and to the left.

Although WHS (2-1) put all four of its shots on goal in the first half, the Trojans had better opportunities in the second half.

"We made adjustments in the second half and you could see we broke through the line many times," Ektnitphong said. "I think the kids did a wonderful job in the second half."

Victor Meza was able to get his foot on a ball behind the Saints defense before being taken down inside the box. Meza was given a penalty kick and cut the Saints lead to 2-1 after firing the kick top shelf with 17:47 remaining.

The Trojans, however, were unable to send the game into extra time in the final 17:47, finishing with only four shots on goal, none of which came in the second half.

"We were playing in one area and they were able to gang tackle us," Ektnitphong said. "We have to be quicker. We have to be quick getting to the ball and quick passing the ball.

"I think in the first two games, things went our way. When we went up against a team like St. Peter, we could not adjust. We need to make adjustments on the fly, rather than let a first half go by."

Worthington will take on Marshall on the road Tuesday.

SP 1 1 -- 2

WHS 0 1 -- 1

Daily Globe Sports Editor Chris Murphy may be reached at 376-7328.

WHS girls' soccer falls to St. Peter

ST. PETER --Worthington's girls' soccer team fell to 1-2 on the season, after falling to St. Peter 5-1 Wednesday.

Dayan Fuentes-Martinez cut the St. Peter lead to 2-1 after the St. Peter goalie bobbled a cross from Lydia Kemper. Fuentes-Martinez got the ball on her foot and put it into the back of the net.

The Trojans, however, would not score again and were outshot in the game 26-4.

"We really had a hard time connecting passes," WHS coach Emily Ahlquist said. "We need to control the middle of the field and hustle to the ball.

"We can't have the girls not hustling to the ball."

The Trojans will travel to Willmar Saturday.

WHS 1 0 -- 1

SP 2 3 -- 5