The Reeths-Puffer girls soccer team opened its season with a tough 3-2 loss to state-ranked East Grand Rapids on the road on Wednesday.
East Grand Rapids opened the scoring in the first half, then R-P tied the game when Sophia Hekkema scored with an assist from Billie Tryska.
The biggest damage came in the first nine minutes of the second half, when East Grand Rapids scored twice to take a 3-1 lead. One of those goals was on a penalty kick.
Billie Tryska, who had two assists for the Rockets.
The Rockets made a game out of it down the stretch.
Brooke Bradley scored on a header, with an assist from Tryska, with under three minutes remaining. R-P had four quality opportunities after that, missing scoring chances on a breakaway, a penalty kick and two shots that hit the crossbar.
“This was a game we 100 percent could have won, and it’s pretty exciting to see us playing such a confident brand of soccer so early in the season," said R-P Coach Kody Harrell. "I thought East Grand Rapids played well and they are obviously a quality opponent.”
The Rockets will host North Muskegon, another state-ranked opponent, on Friday.
