MIFFLINTOWN - Juniata's boys soccer team got a good bounce Wednesday, winning for the second time this week and against a Tri-Valley League opponent to boot.
The 4-1 victory over Millersburg was key for the Indians, who continue to bubble just under .500, and need to win most of their remaining games to secure a District 6 playoff berth.
It was a slow start for the home team, but once the first ball went into the net several more followed. Brand Brackbill scored on a penalty kick 28 minutes into the contest, but before the break 12 minutes later, his team was sitting on a comfortable 3-0 lead.
Article Photos
Sentinel photo by MATT?STRICKER
Juniata’s Brandon Becker, left, races to win the ball against Millersburg’s Matt Bunger Wednesday evening in Mifflintown. See more photos online at cu.lewistownsentinel.com.
It happened in the final minute of the half, when Nick Gilbert and Jose Lopez scored 16 seconds apart, the first coming with just 40 ticks on the clock before halftime. Brennan Paden had the helper for Gilbert; Logan Aurand dished for Lopez.
Lopez assisted on Juniata's final goal, a Wyatt Brackbill effort that gave the Indians a 4-0 lead. Elijah Shepley broke the shutout with 10 minutes left, on the game's second successful penalty kick.
Juniata improves to 6-8, and is 5-6 in TVL play. The Indians head to Line Mountain Saturday to close out the week.
Boys soccer
East Juniata 2, Upper Dauphin 0
ELIZABETHVILLE - Nick Lorenz and Ben Auker each scored a goal to lift East Juniata over Upper Dauphin 2-0 in Tri-Valley League boys soccer action Wednesday.
East Juniata led Upper Dauphin in shots 19-3. But couldn't get much going against its TVL foe.
"We didn't finish well tonight," East Juniata coach Don Troutman said. "Their keeper made some good saves. We didn't finish like we've been finishing in the past."
Auker's goal came with 12 minutes to play in the first half. That was assisted by Bailey Coder. Lorenz notched his lone goal of the game with a strike with eight minutes to play in the second half to seal the game.
"But we dominated the play for sure," Troutman said. "It was one of those games where there was like a lid on the goal."
East Juniata (13-2, 11-0) hosts Line Mountain Monday.
Girls soccer
Lewisburg 3, Midd-West 2
MIDDLEBURG - Midd-West failed to capitalize on many good opportunities handed to them in its Heartland Conference girls soccer tilt Wednesday against Lewisburg.
Lewisburg scored with five minutes to play to break a 2-2 tie and take a 3-2 win over the Mustangs.
"In the second half we dominated play and we just had opportunity after opportunity that we didn't capitalize on," Midd-West coach Russ Goodling said. "They made the best of theirs."
Midd-West got goals from Makenzie Kauffman and Kenedi Moyer - one in the first half and one in the second half - to keep the Mustangs in contention.
"We had a lot more shots that weren't shots on goal," Goodling said. "We don't have quite enough to play a full 80 minutes just yet."
Midd-West (9-5, 5-5) travels to Danville Saturday.
