The Ballard women's soccer team opened its season Monday night with a tough matchup against Class 2A No. 14 Gilbert, falling 7-1 at home.

Gilbert set the tone early, finding the back of the net twice in the first half to take a 2-0 lead into the break.  Ballard battled defensively and worked to create opportunities, but the Tigers' pressure proved difficult to contain.

In the second half, Gilbert extended its lead with five additional goals, showcasing why it holds a top-15 ranking.  Ballard continued to compete throughout the final 40 minutes and broke through with a goal of its own to avoid the shutout.

Ballard moves to 0-1-0 overall (0-1-0 in conference play) and will look to bounce back quickly.

Up next, the Bombers return to action Tuesday, April 7, hosting Van Meter in a varsity-only matchup scheduled for 5:30 PM.