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Northridge players celebrate a goal, from left, Abigail Olsen, Tielyr Hakala and Marissa Simpson, in a game against Roy on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023, in Layton.

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Roy's Alyea Martinez, right, pursues Northridge midfielder Abigail Olsen in a game Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023, in Layton.

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Northridge's Abigail Olsen (11) puts a penalty kick score past Roy keeper Paige Boatwright in a game Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023, in Layton.

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Roy's Hannah Fugate handles the ball in a game against Northridge on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023, in Layton.

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Northridge's Carson Reiva pushes up field during a game against Roy on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023, in Layton.

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Roy's Macy Reed (8) and Bria Belnap (9), and Northridge's Lalei Stoker, center, watch a ball roll away in a game Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023, in Layton.

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Northridge's Lalei Stoker strikes the ball in a game against Roy on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023, in Layton.

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Roy's Taylor Delgado stops the ball in a game against Northridge on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023, in Layton.

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Roy's Hannah Fugate strikes the ball during a game against Northridge on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023, in Layton.

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❮ ❯

LAYTON — It is very early in the season, but Northridge High girls soccer is already very short-handed due to injuries and other unforeseen circumstances.

But a win in August is just as important as one in October — when attrition usually occurs — and the Knights improved to 2-0 on Tuesday afternoon.

Northridge remained undefeated and nipped Roy 3-2 in the Region 5 opener for both schools.

“We had a lot of injuries to key players coming into the season. One girl tore an ACL and my starting keeper broke a finger the day before the first game,” Northridge coach Thomas Zarate said. “Then I had a couple of girls who decided to not come back to tryouts that would have been starters.”

This put the onus on the girls who comprise this year’s team and, so far, they have responded beyond expectations.

“I felt a little bit of pressure on my shoulders of how high we could achieve, but these girls have come out fighting and now I have to reassess what our goals are for the season,” Zarate said. “To miss as many key players … I can’t be any happier for what these girls have given me. We’ve had to make a lot of adjustments. We’re taking as much positive as we can out of the situation.”

One of those players who has emerged from the shadows is junior captain Abigail Olsen, chosen by the players.

“She’s kind of quiet but she has been a leader on the field. Even though she’s not loud, she talks with the girls and motivates them by her actions,” Zarate said.

Olsen scored three goals, including a penalty kick, in the Knights’ opening victory against Syracuse last week. She made a PK on Tuesday, giving her team a 2-1 lead in the 49th minute.

“I was just the person who decided to take it. Last game I went to the left side and I figured she (Roy goalkeeper Paige Boatwright) knew I would go left, so I decided to hit the right side this time and it went in,” Olsen said. “Sophia (Sivulich) has a torn ACL. She was one of our best players and I felt like it was on me to step up.”

That goal looked like it would be enough for the win, but Sienna Bodily made a penalty kick for the Royals (0-2, 0-1 Region 5) in the 76th minute so a seemingly insignificant (at the time) header goal by Anna Dean 8 minutes prior actually proved to be the game-winner for Northridge.

With eight teams in a packed Region 5, league play started earlier than usual this year and Zarate, with his fragile, thin team, was careful to not over-tax them with the daunting schedule the Knights face.

“Two games a week is hard to maintain. That’s why we only took one (non-region game),” Zarate said. “I felt like it let us ease into it. Now it’s go, go, go from here.”

Roy scored first in the 16th minute on a long-range goal by Taylor Delgado and the Knights evened it 1-1 on a rebound kick from Tielyr Hakala just before the half.

“I’m happy with the way we came out; that was a great goal to get early,” Roy coach Alyssa Foutz said. “We’re building confidence. It’s early in the season. We can learn a lot from a loss to a great team. We’ll go train and get ready for Thursday.”

RPI has taken some of the shine off of the region season, but it still means something to the players.

“It felt really special to win our region opener. It feels good to have a little confidence going into our next game … quick turnaround,” Olsen said. “We all came ready; we knew we had to win against Roy. It felt good. Hopefully we can continue our run.”