The Wildcats scored the only goal of the 80-minute match in the first 12 minutes, which Chieftains coach Justin Seever saw as a good sign, saying THS played “even” with De Soto for the final 68 minutes or so.

Tonganoxie (0-5) got off two more shots than De Soto and senior forward Ashley Kotowske led the team with five shots.

“We had our chances, especially the last 20 minutes or so when we pulled a defender and put an extra forward in,” Seever said.

The coach went one step further with about 13 minutes to go, moving goalkeeper Alex Bartels out to a forward position.

The Chieftains’ best scoring chance came in the final minute. Seever said Bartels was alone in the box and Kotowske had beat her defender down the sideline but a cross to Bartels was off the mark.

A senior goalkeeper, Bartels finished the match with 10 saves.

Seever said THS, though winless, will keep plugging away.

“I still have faith in this team,” the first-year coach said. “We just have to put a complete game together and help out our defense who has been playing well, and just is not getting the support offensively yet.”

At 4 p.m. Monday, Tonganoxie plays host to Piper.