Boys soccer
Four Tippecanoe Valley players found the back of the net on the way to a hard-fought, 4-3 victory over host Caston and the Vikings’ first win of the season.

With Alan Jimenez joining the defensive wall, Valley held Caston scoreless for the first 20 minutes of the match. The Comets broke through at the 20 minute mark for the match’s first score.

Thirteen minutes later at the 33 minute mark Valley evened the score at 1-1 when Harrison Vining found the net off an Arturo Dominguez assist. Changing the defense slightly and pushing Alan back into an offensive role, Caston capitalized on a Valley defensive weakness and mustered a second goal at the 38 minute mark to take a 2-1 lead into the half.

Ten minutes into the second half Alan Jimenez knotted his first goal of the season after rebounding his own missed shot to even the score at 2-2. Just five minutes later Valley was awarded a PK when a cross into the penalty area to junior Manny Dominguez resulted in a foul, but Dominguez was forced to leave the match as a precaution for a head injury. Senior GK Fabian Mar stepped up and sank what was thought to be a 3-2 go-ahead goal, but Valley sophomore Jorge Rosas was whistled for encroachment and the goal was nullified. Caston capitalized on the mistake and just two minutes later found the back of the Valley goal to take a 3-2 lead instead.

Valley responded immediately at the 62 minute mark when newcomer sophomore Landon Brainard scored his first career goal off a senior Xabier Armentia assist to even things 3-3. Fired up, the Vikings took the ball away from Caston, went the length of the field where senior Armentia — who had just returned from an ankle injury — once again worked his magic on an assist to open sophomore Jorge Rosas, who put in the go-ahead goal just one minute later.

Valley held off a late charge by Caston to hold on to the 4-3 decision. Mar played all 80 minutes in goal and finished with 17 saves. Valley tallied 12 shots on the match, including 11 on goal, the largest offensive output of the season.

Valley’s moves to 1-3 with the win. The Vikings play at home on Tuesday against Manchester in TRC action at 5 p.m.

Volleyball
Valley’s volleyball team lost a three-game match with Wabash Thursday, 26-24, 25-18, 26-24.

Sophie Bussard finished with 10 kills and 23 digs to lead the Lady Vikings. Emily Peterson tallied 17 assists, Olivia Trippiedi served four aces, and Amy Baca finished with five block assists.

The Vikings slide to 2-3 with the loss.

Valley’s JV won in two games, meanwhile, 25-18, 25-19.

Sidney Wagoner finished with seven kills and three aces, while Hannah Engstrand and Sarah Myers recorded seven assists apiece, and Allison Betten tallied 10 digs. She and Delaney Wagoner were 90 percent in passing efficiency for the match.