The boys Libby Loggers soccer team lost for the first time this season when they dropped a pair of matches this weekend in Billings.

They lost the first match of the weekend to Billings Central 5-2 in what was a back and forth contest on Friday, Sept. 11.

“In the fifth minute we were awarded a penalty kick but it was saved by their goal keeper,” coach, Mark Petersen said. “They got the scoring started with a goal at about the 10 minute mark. They got another goal and we got on the board with a goal near the end of the first half.”

The Loggers were within one goal at intermission and Petersen said his team had a chance to tie the game before Billings Central pulled away in the end.

“It was pretty tight at 3-2 and we thought we might get the equalizer,” he said. “But they got two late goals that bounced around and we couldn’t recover.”

Petersen said he was pleased with the way his team performed after a long road trip.

“It didn’t go our way in the first game,” he said. “We left town at 4 a.m. that day and got to Billings around 2:30 p.m. It was a long day for the kids. We felt pretty good about the way we played. They had a lot of talented players. We gave up a real cheap goal and had some miscommunications on our end defensively.”

The next day the Loggers lost a competitive match to Laurel 3-1. Petersen said his team had to adjust to playing on artificial turf.

“Against Laurel it was the first time most of our players played on artificial turf,” he said. “It’s an adjustment because it’s a different playing surface. You have to adjust on how you pass the ball. Laurel came out and played motivated. They got their goals on a penalty kick, a corner kick and a runaway goal. We were tired from the day before with the game and the road trip.”

The Loggers will look to rebound this weekend on the road against Columbia Falls. It’s the Loggers’ second conference game and Petersen said it will be a good test for his team.

“The team at Columbia Falls has a new coach in O’Brien Bird,” he said. “Bird is the former Whitefish coach and he’s a tremendous coach. He’s a very motivated and very knowledgeable head coach. They will match up well with us and it will be a good test for us. Every game in the conference is one you have to win.”