Everything the Victoria Highlanders thought they were beginning to know about their team was turned on its head Friday night in a 3-1 loss to Foothills FC in Calgary.
The Highlanders鈥� defence, which looked to have found its footing by allowing only two goals in its previous three USL Premier Development League games, was exploited by the Northwest Division-leading Foothills (4-1).
鈥淭here is a reason they are in first place and are difficult to beat,鈥� said Highlanders head coach Dave Dew. 鈥淭hey are very direct 鈥� nothing fancy.鈥�
Calgary carried a 2-0 lead into the halftime break. A goal at 55 minutes by Chris Rushworth pulled Victoria to within one.
鈥淲e battled back well, but then came the momentum breaker,鈥� said Dew, referring to Calgary鈥檚 third goal.
The two clubs meet again Sunday afternoon in Calgary.
The Highlanders (2-2-2) have lost both their games against Foothills FC this season. Calgary blanked Victoria 2-0 last month at Centennial Stadium.
CORNER KICKS: Highlanders standout central defender Callum Montgomery, a six-foot-two graduate of St. Michaels University School, helped lead the UNC-Charlotte 49ers to the NCAA Div. 1 tournament this season as freshman. A story in Friday鈥檚 edition erroneously referred to the school as UC-Charlotte 鈥� As a condition of entering the PDL last season, Foothills FC is responsible for paying the airfares to Calgary of all visiting teams 鈥� The Highlanders are in Redmond to play the Washington Crossfire next Friday and in Seattle to take on MLS-affiliate Sounders U-23 next Sunday.
