After drubbing Tooele 6-0 on their home field, Mountain View most likely expected a similar easy game the second time around. However, no one told the Buffs they were suppose to lay over and play dead because they came to battle.

After only allowing two goals to the visiting Bruins in the first half, Tooele scored an early second-half goal to shove the thoughts of a loss in the Mountain View players. Tooele could not score again though and dropped a hard fought game 2-1 Thursday in Tooele.

Lizzi Stewart had the second half goal for Tooele that cut the Bruin lead in half and with new-found physical play from top-to-bottom Tooele nearly tied the game in the final minutes.

Kahri Golden started off the game pressing the Mountain View defense but could not find enough of a seam to score.

Mountain View did take advantage of the few opportunities that came against the tough Tooele defense. Both of the Bruinss goals came off of free kicks.

In the eighth minute Stefani Solorzano got a quick bead on the free kick from mid-field and tapped the ball into the net for the 1-0 lead.

Only five minutes later, again Tooele had trouble defending the free kick. Solorzano again took the best path to the ball to notch another goal and put Tooele down 2-0.

Even with the trouble with the two early free kicks the Tooele defense improved dramatically at clearing the ball out of their own end and making life easier for Buffalo keeper Kelsey Johnson.

In fact the defense didn’t allow another goal the rest of the way with the help of Chelsea Bell and Shannon Howsden clearing the defensive side.

Golden, Sierra Strate and Lizzi Stewart all worked hard to make scoring runs to wrap up the first half for Tooele but were unable to convert.

The Buffs owned the second half with their physical play and laid claim to nearly every ball in their area.

Airica Stewart and Erica Pool started the offensive surge. But it was Lizzi Stewart who managed to dribble around Maile Lavaki and knock the ball into the corner of the net to make the score 2-1.

With only the slim cushion of a one-goal lead, Mountain View players frantically attempted to score another goal but were unsuccessful. Even the traveling Bruin fans woke up from their naps so they could complain about every call when they realized the game was close to slipping from their grasp.

Tooele did make plenty of close calls with the physical play of the offense, but could not manage the equalizer but did leave the field making a clear statement that they weren’t to be taken lightly.

With the loss the Buffs 1-9 in Region 7 play. They wrap up the regular season on Thursday when they host Provo at 4 p.m.

Jake Gordon: jgordon@tooeletranscript.com