For the first time this season, the top-ranked team in Class 3A girls soccer took a loss.

Of course, the Bayfield Wolverines were playing without one of their star players, were playing a larger classification program and were coming off their spring break.

“That kind of caught us on our heels,” Bayfield High School head coach Jen Zelinski said Wednesday night, one day after the Class 3A Wolverines were shut out 4-0 by the Class 4A Montezuma-Cortez Panthers on Tuesday night at Wolverine Country Stadium.

“I think some of the girls were surprised,” Zelinski said.

But, after their 5-1 loss to the Panthers last season, Zelinski wasn’t necessarily caught off guard.

“I expected them to be tough,” said Zelinski, whose side played without Maddy Duran.

“We played well. We just had a couple of mental breakdowns. We had scoring opportunities, and I actually thought we’d come back to tie,” but the Panthers thought otherwise.

Bayfield (6-1) again will pick on somebody that isn’t its same size at 5 p.m. Thursday at Riverview Sports Complex. BHS will play the Durango High School junior varsity, another 4A program.

Bigger school. Bigger competition.

“Just what we’re looking for,” Zelinski said.

heraldsports@durangoherald.com