While both teams exchanged the lead a few times each, the Blue Devils pulled away late in the second period to secure the 3-2 win over the Wildcats.

Claire Gorno, the BNC’s top goal scorer last season, picked up right where she left off with another two goals to sneak past Alpena.

“Our girls looked really good on the attack tonight,” Alpena Coach Gregg Supiran said. “We threatened the goal plenty of times but couldn’t come away with the win. We looked pretty sharp, and if we clean a few more things up, I think we can win many games like this in the future.”

Despite ending in a one-goal loss, the Wildcats were off to a good start because of their ability to pass the ball into the open field.

News Photo by Owen Kinzey Faith Dragiewicz travels down the field with the ball during AHS’s soccer game on Tuesday at home against Gaylord. The Wildcats ultimately lost, 3-2. Dragiewicz scored the first goal of the game.

Nearly every time the team gained possession of the ball, Alpena found the opportunity to get a shot on goal.

Pressure on the Blue Devil’s net led to an early lead for Alpena.

Faith Dragiewicz got the Wildcats on the board after Gaylord’s goalie lunged out of the goal, failing to make a diving save.

Dragiewicz got the ball just around her, which rolled into the back of the net for the score.

Now up 1-0, Alpena would need to keep the pressure on against a resilient Gaylord squad.

News Photo by Owen Kinzey Faith Dragiewicz travels down the field with the ball during AHS’s soccer game on Tuesday at home against Gaylord. The Wildcats ultimately lost, 3-2. Dragiewicz scored the first goal of the game.

That resilience was eventually shown just before halftime, with 5:38 on the clock, when Gorno scored her first goal of the game Gaylord.

Heading into halftime, both teams were tied at 1-1, but the Blue Devils held the momentum.

Roughly ten minutes after the second half began, Alpena committed a costly defensive mistake, allowing its second goal of the game.

Ella Cherwinski received credit for this goal of putting Gaylord in the lead for the first time in the game.

That lead was held for eighteen minutes until, finally, Alpena got back in the goal.

News Photo by Owen Kinzey Faith Dragiewicz travels down the field with the ball during AHS’s soccer game on Tuesday at home against Gaylord. The Wildcats ultimately lost, 3-2. Dragiewicz scored the first goal of the game.

With 11:13 remaining, the Wildcats tied the game on a ball that Gaylord’s goalie deflected, which was then finished by Alpena.

While it seemed like the Wildcats had stolen the momentum, the Blue Devils were not done yet.

Less than two minutes later, Gorno fired for the goal again and smoked the ball past Alpena into the goal.

Although there was plenty of time to score a final goal, the Wildcats struggled to maintain possession and couldn’t get the ball onto Gaylord’s side of the field.

Ultimately falling 3-2, Alpena put up a fight, leaving lots of promise for upcoming conference games.

News Photo by Owen Kinzey Isabelle Kocan kicks the ball during Alpena High School girls’ soccer game on Tuesday against Gaylord in Alpena. The Wildcats lost 3-2.

“We have another conference game later this week, and we need to focus on doing the little things well. Working a little bit harder and winning the 50/50 balls are key aspects we can improve in order to do well in this conference,” Coach Supiran said.

Alpena travels to Cadillac today.

News Photo by Owen Kinzey Goalie Taylor Parker kicks the ball into play during Tuesday’s game in Alpena. The Wildcats lost 3-2.

News Photo by Owen Kinzey Reese Wisniewski goes for the goal in Tuesday’s game against Gaylord in Alpena. AHS lost 3-2.