Ripon Christian’s girls soccer team is trying to hold off Gustine for the third and final playoff spot in the Southern League.

The Knights did themselves a favor with wins over Denair and Turlock Christian Monday and Tuesday, respectively. They cap a three-games-in-four-days stretch Thursday at Delhi before hosting Gustine next week for what could be a big match with postseason implications.

At Denair Monday, Natalie Van Groningen and Ashley Bloemhof each scored a goal and assisted another in a 3-0 victory. Adri Van Groningen chipped in with a goal, and keeper Brittany Petlansky had two saves in the shutout.

Against visiting Turlock Christian, Kaylie Colyn scored the first and last goals of a 4-1 match claimed by Ripon Christian (7-4-1, 12-7-1).

The Knights came out firing but nailed the posts twice before Colyn buried a 25-yard shot. That open the floodgates, as Natalie Van Groningen and Natalie Prins both scored within the next 10 minutes for a quick 3-0 lead. Turlock Christian answered with Lindsay Kopp’s goal, but it was too little, too late.