GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER: MONTGOMERY 6, UKIAH 0 VIKINGS AVENGE LOSS TO UKIAH: ANDERSON'S HAT TRICK HELPS VIKES ATONE FOR EARLIER DEFEAT

Alyssa Anderson has spent her senior season assisting teammates, but Monday she was the star of the show as Montgomery defeated Ukiah, 6-0, in an NBL soccer match.

Anderson scored three goals and assisted on another as the Vikings avenged an earlier 2-1 defeat at Ukiah.

The forward got Montgomery on the scoreboard 10 minutes into the game when she outran the defense and then curved a shot into the upper right corner of the net.

Anderson's second goal made it 3-0 eight minutes before intermission. On this one, she maneuvered into the slot with the ball. When keeper Rilee Dockins came out trying to cut down the angle, Anderson gave her the slip and calmly put the ball into the open goal.

Anderson's third goal came with 37 minutes remaining. This time, she stole a pass as Ukiah tried to clear the ball. She again found herself face-to-face with Dockins and the result was the same.

Anderson estimates she's scored eight goals this season, a paltry number considering the offensive numbers she put up as an underclassman. "I've been concentrating on setting up my teammates," she said. "Teams were targeting me and shifting over when I got the ball. So, this year, when defenders gang up on me, I just pass it off to the open player."

With Anderson looking for assists instead of trying to muscle through double teams, Montgomery's record is 9-4-1 and 5-3-1 in league.

Anderson did get one assist as she set up Ellen Moeller for the final goal of the game.

So was it a surprise the Vikings thoroughly dominated a team that had beaten them a month ago? Not really, according to coach Pat McDonald and co-captain Ashley Cella.

"We had a classic letdown when we went up to Ukiah," McDonald said. "We'd lost 3-2 to (Maria) Carrillo a few days earlier. Going on the road, the girls hadn't recovered from the loss and the home team played well. "It's a classic scenario in all sports."

The Carrillo Pumas are still unbeaten and in control of the NBL.

Cella remembers the Vikings had a number of missed scoring chances in Ukiah.

"We were unlucky in that we had a lot of near-misses," she said. "We had balls that hit the post or just barely went wide. Also, their keeper made some tough saves."

McDonald and Cella do agree that Montgomery was ready for the rematch.

"Psychologically, the girls were ready," the coach said. "They were focused. Our defense really stopped their attack."

Cella said the girls were thinking of the earlier loss from the start.

"We wanted to come out playing hard and take it to them," the senior said. "Alyssa's first goal set the tone and then (Victoria) Diab scored a few minutes later. After that second goal, we picked it up even more."

Ukiah coach Andy Hendry saw the writing on the wall when Courtney Mee hit the post on a shot in the 25th minute.

"That was so close to being a goal," the fifth-year coach said. "It would've made the score 2-1. After that, we lost energy and psychologically, the girls weren't in the game any longer. "We couldn't stop their attacks. Our girls just don't have the fizz and bite the Montgomery girls have." After Mee's near-goal, Montgomery sophomore keeper Shyniah Austin wasn't tested again.

Ukiah's program is on the upswing. Only five of its 20 players are seniors and three freshmen (Anna and Mariah Wiese and Anna Brazil) start.

The Wildcats are now 5-5-4 and 3-2-1 in league.