By Nick Gerhardt
Northfield snapped a two-game skid and set a season high for goals Monday in a 3-2 victory over Kasson-Mantorville at Memorial Field at Northfield High School.
Ninth-grade forward Danica Bulfer scored twice for the Raiders (2-4, 0-2 Big 9) and senior midfielder Shania Gjerdengen added a goal to hold off a late charge from the KoMets (5-1-1, 3-0 Hiawatha Valley League).
Previously undefeated Kasson-Mantorville grabbed a 1-0 lead at the 14-minute mark when Delaney Awe found herself alone on a cross in front of the Northfield goal.
Then Bulfer struck twice before the end of the half to give Northfield a 2-1 lead. Bulfer scored from the right side of the 18-yard box in the 18th minute and added a tally with 3:06 to go in the half.
The Raiders expanded the lead to 3-1 in the 54th minute when Gjerdingen found the back of the net after a lengthy run.
It stayed that way until the last 12 minutes when Makenzie Carrier drew the KoMets to 3-2.
Sophomore goalkeeper Linnea Wilhem came up big in several spots for Northfield to preserve the lead.
The Raiders face Mankato West Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Mankato.
