Bulldog soccer players watch a direct kick off the foot of Rainee Brito (#9 in the background) reach goal during the Dawgs 5-1 win over El Dorado. Brito had four goals for the day.
Photo by Lou Martin

Virgin Valley High girls soccer coach Bob Snell was wondering where he could find offensive fire power after his Lady Dawg team managed only one goal in their three games during Mesquite Cup play.

He found it Monday afternoon at their game against 4A Eldorado. Freshman Rainee Brito scored her first goal of her high school career 8 minutes into the match and followed with three more before her day was finished. Kallie Graves had two assists for a good days work. Kari Wakefield added a goal and another assist went to sophomore Ally Wright.

Brito gave the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead right before the first half ended on a direct kick that curled over the goalies outstretched arms. The Bulldogs had two more open shots before the half that sailed just wide.

Brito hit for the “Hat Trick” four minutes into the second half on a shot from the middle of the box. Wakefield hit goal 8 minutes later upping the Lady Dawgs lead to 4-0.

The Bulldogs kept the pressure on the Sun Devils giving Brito the opportunity for her fourth goal of the afternoon making the score 5-0. Snell immediately pulled Brito and most of his starters. The Sun Devils closed out the scoring at the 75 minute mark.

“We needed this one,” Snell said. “Our offense struggled over the weekend. If our defense hadn’t stepped up we would have gotten blown away. We have a good team and with the rugged schedule of 4A teams ahead, we should be ready for league play.”

The Lady Dawgs travel to Cheyenne for a non-league game on Thursday Aug. 31 and open Sunrise League play Tuesday Sept. 5 at Del Sol High School. Their first big test comes Thursday Sept. 7 against always powerful Tech.