They played fearless (in the second half) they didn’t back off of balls, they were stepping up, challenging the other team and taking chances on offense.”

Park co-head coach Stacy Paleen

It was a tale of two halves for the Park girls' soccer team Thursday as the wolfpack shook off a listless first half with strong play in the second period. But the Wolfpack fell just short and dropped a tough 2-1 decision to visiting Mounds View in their Suburban East Conference opener.

Mounds View connected for a 2-0 lead before the Wolfpack came roaring back in the second half.

“At halftime we talked, when you’re down two goals we said you can come out play scared the second half and it will probably get worse or you can take back the game, take charge and our girls really stepped up to the challenge,” said Park co-head coach Stacy Paleen. “If they would have played like that in the first half it would have been a completely different game. What we found is grit and determination and the desire and the will to come back.

“They played fearless (in the second half) they didn’t back off of balls, they were stepping up, challenging the other team and taking chances on offense,” Paleen added. “In the first half we played a little bit tentative, played back, gave the other team, gave Mounds View, too much space to play the ball instead of getting right up on them and defending them.”

Park slipped to 2-2-2 on the season and 0-1 in the Suburban East Conference.

Park hosts third-ranked and undefeated rival East Ridge (1-0, 5-0) Thursday in a girls-boys doubleheader at Wolfpack Stadium. The girls play at 5 p.m. with the boys' game following at 7 p.m.

Park 2, Apple Valley 0

Park scored twice in the second half to break a 0-0 tie and claim a 2-0 win over visiting Apple Valley Tuesday in a n ion-conference girls soccer match.

Kylee Nickle and Ava Taschner each put in second-half goals for the Wolfpack.

Kenne German had six saves in the net.

Park improved to 2-1-2 on the season