The Davis High girls field hockey team raided the nets of Pleasant Valley on Wednesday and came out of the excursion with a 2-0 triumph at Brown Stadium.

And what better way was there for the Blue Devils to begin their 2013 campaign than by leaving a now 28-game unbeaten spree unsullied by their Viking opponents?

DHS’ first goal of the regular season came from senior Natalie Silver, who sent a tactical shot through an exposed middle nine minutes into the contest.

Silver remained a threatening presence in front of Pleasant Valley’s net for the rest of the period. She often shared the space with Sara Pinto, Chelsey Nickell and Kelly Ragsdale.

Most of the game was played in Viking territory, as the back-end defense of DHS — which included talented sophomore Whitney Sacramento — denied PVHS advances again and again.

While Blue Devil goalie Ally Weir was left untouched thanks to bulletproof defenders, Silver and Ragsdale kept the heat on the Weir’s counterpart, shooting twice each in the opening 20 minutes.

But nothing came of the earnest attempts, and further tries were halted by the Vikings. As the half went on, Davis swooped into scoring position a few more times, only to have the ball knocked away.

Though it didn’t jeopardize the Devil win, head coach Sandie Marotti-Huckins was made note of it as an area to develop for looming Eastern Athletic League matchups.

“We dominated the game, and really put on a show with possession,” said the DHS mentor. “Our teamwork was good all the way up to the circle, but we couldn’t quite finish.

“As we move forward, our decision-making will become a little more immediate and better overall. We’re just sometimes making the easy pass over the better pass.”

Those misplaced passes meant the locals weren’t in a completely comfortable position — up just 1-0 — as the second half began. But the Blue Devils quickly got chances as they were awarded two penalty corners.

In the chaos of one of those opportunities, senior Elizabeth Leshuk charged up from the middle to fling the ball into the goal. However, it rose higher than the 18-inch arch legally allowed.

With her team still ahead by just one goal and nine minutes left in the game, Davis senior Jade Bugsch emerged from a pileup in front of the goal to slap the ball into the net.

From there, the Devil defense kept the Vikings quiet to secure the 2-0 victory.

Next up for the locals is a home game against Yuba City on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

— Reach Brett Johnson at [email protected] or 530-747-8052. Follow him on Twitter at @ReporterBrett.

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DHS’ Jade Bugsch, right, competes for the ball during the Blue Devils’ 2-0 win over Pleasant Valley on Wednesday at Brown Stadium. Wayne Tilcock/Enterprise photo

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