A sluggish start ended up costing Lathrop High’s girls soccer team in a 3-2 loss at Edison on Monday.

The host Vikings (2-3-1) jumped out to a 2-0 lead, and a missed penalty kick in the final seconds of the opening half kept Lathrop (2-2-1) off the board.

“The girls came out lethargic in the first half,” Lathrop coach Gabe Padilla said. “They played uninspired, there was no talking and no energy. They were playing down to their opponent’s level. I knew things weren’t going our way when we missed that PK right before halftime.”

Different story in the second 40-minute stanza. 

With the Spartans dominating the action, they were finally able to strike in the 60th minute on Edna Magana’s well-placed strike from about 25 yards out. Lathrop tied it in the 85th minute when Yaneli Avila headed in a cross from Magana from inside the 6-yard goal box.

It didn’t take long for Edison to answer with the winning goal. Lathrop had two corner-kick tries in the closing minutes but came up empty handed. 

“It was the one opportunity they had in the second half,” Padilla said. “They caught us on a counter attack and beat our keeper. Hats off to Edison, they played a good game.”

Tracy 2, Sierra 1

Freshman Kaleigh Doyle accounted for Sierra’s only goal. It was tied 1-1 at halftime before Tracy netted the eventual game-winner.

The Timberwolves (1-2-1) were held to just five shots. They open the Valley Oak League season Wednesday at Oakdale before capping off the week with their own Vern Gebhardt Cup Tournament.