Opportunistic Provo edges Springville1-0

PROVO — The Springville Red Devils went into Provo and attempted to use their skill and guile Thursday afternoon in the Region 7 girls soccer opener, but the Bulldogs prevailed by a 1-0 score by being a bit more opportunistic.

Provo established an aggressive tone from the opening whistle, outmuscling the finesse-based Red Devils.

"Springville is a very good team," Provo coach Cesar Cardoso explained. "The key to beating them is being the first to the ball. They pass very well so you have to be very aggressive."

Springville struggled to find openings in the Bulldog defense.

Junior forward Crosby Joyner was the main threat for the Devils. The Bulldogs countered with a defense specifically tailored to stop her, using double- and even triple-teams each time she touched the ball. Even with the Bulldog defense preoccupied with Joyner, the other Devils could not find another weapon.

The Provo back line — sweeper Emma Tohara and goalkeeper Kristen Chambers — was solid throughout the game. Whenever Springville found an opening, Chambers turned them away with several highlight-reel saves.

It looked like Springville had finally broken through in the 36th minute when Crosby tapped in a deflected shot by junior Karissa Henage, but the goal was called back due to an offsides penalty.

Meanwhile, the Bulldogs could not get a shot on net. The half ended with no score.

The Bulldogs finally got a chance in the 53rd minute. Junior Amber Bosco lofted a free kick from the wing into the box, and sophomore Chandra Salmon headed the ball into the net for the game's only goal.

The Red Devils were clearly frustrated, having controlled the ball for most of the match.

"The better team doesn't always win," Springville coach Ryan Swanson said. "We had a lot more shots, but they capitalized on their opportunities and we didn't."

When the final whistle blew, Provo celebrated while several Springville players cried "fluke!"

"We played hard and we played well," said Swanson. "We'll beat every other team."

As for the Bulldogs, they were pleased with their win, but Cardoso tried to keep it in perspective.

"We're going to take one game at a time," he said with a smile. "We're a young team, so we can't have too many dreams."

The Bulldogs are 1-0 in region play while Springville is 0-1.