Columbia Basin had the lead before most of the crowd had settled in, then spent the rest of Tuesday's match unable to add to it. The Hawks fell to 4-5-4 overall and 2-4-2 in league play.
The opening goal came off a set piece. Diego Aguirre sent in a corner at 0:58, and Jonathan Licona finished it at 1:26 for a 1-0 lead. Aguirre took all five of Columbia Basin's corners in the match, four of them in the first half, and his service was the Hawks' most productive source of chances.
Columbia Basin stayed on the front foot early. Jan Vergara hit the post in the fifth minute, and Aiden Munoz sent a shot high a few minutes later. The Hawks had seven shots in the first half, though only the goal and a few saves to show for them.
The match turned between the 15th and 18th minutes. Osbaldo Martinez Soto tied it at 1-1 in the 15th, and Pierre Vega converted a penalty kick in the 18th to put Wenatchee Valley ahead. Wenatchee then took three shots in one sequence, and goalkeeper Moises Nino saved two. Columbia Basin answered with three attempts of its own over the next five minutes, including saves on Kristian Iniguez and a block on Ronaldo Lopez, but none found the net. The Hawks then went more than 20 minutes without a shot, and Martinez Soto scored again at 43:21 to make it 3-1 at halftime.
Sebastian Hernandez replaced Nino in goal for the second half. Nino had stopped two of five shots faced, and Hernandez held up better, saving four of five. His one concession came at 59:44, when Carlos Viramontes-Solis finished a pass from Juan Gallo for a 4-1 lead.
Columbia Basin managed four second-half shots. Vergara pushed one wide at 48:43, then forced a save from Zacceryah Lani at 65:41. Aguirre's attempt at 84:06 sailed high, and Luis Marquez's shot at 85:01 was saved. Vergara led the Hawks with three shots, and Aguirre finished with an assist, the only one Columbia Basin recorded.
The match also got more physical late. The Hawks received three yellow cards, to Sergio Mora (65:12), Cesar Frausto (67:40) and Marquez (84:37), all after Wenatchee had built its three-goal lead.
Columbia Basin finished with 11 shots, five on target, and five corners to Wenatchee's one. Lani needed just four saves to hold them to one goal.
Basin will look to rebound at home against Spokane on Wednesday at 3:15pm on CBC Field.
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