Iron MountainÕs Chloe Bianco, left, and KingsfordÕs Liz Penegor battle for the ball Tuesday. (Theresa Proudfit/The Daily News)

KINGSFORD — A freshman from Norway decided the Twin City girls soccer rivalry Tuesday at Commemorative Field.

Olivia Stanchina’s goal 10 minutes into the game lifted Iron Mountain past Kingsford 1-0.

Stanchina, part of the Norway co-op with Iron Mountain (3-1), earned an award for her performance.

“Olivia had a good game playing on a sore ankle,” said first-year Mountaineers coach Steve Hodgins. “She’s our player of the game. Any girl who scores in the Iron Mountain-Kingsford game gets the award.”

Reagan Lundholm assisted on the only goal. The rest of the night was defensive stops.

“This was a tough one,” said coach Jon Lorenzoni, his Flivvers slipping to 0-3 on the season. “I’ve been around coaching long enough to know that you never get too high on the highs and too low on the lows.

“This is kind of a low point but this team is going to have some highs. I have every confidence.”

Iron Mountain whaled away at Kingsford and sophomore goalie Hannah Strutz, firing 13 shots in the first half and 21 in the second.

“Hannah Strutz played her best game of year.” Lorenzoni said. “I thought she was fantastic.

“Maddy Ryan and Erika Whittkopf played lights more than solid as outside backs. Their play was instrumental in keeping the lead to one goal.”

The Mountaineers nearly added a second first-half goal but Ryan deflected a dead-on shot from Riley Poupore.

“We missed some chances,” Hodgins said. “It could have been more than one-nothing.

“They have great defenders on that team. Maddy Ryan plays good defense. Give credit to their young goalkeeper. She made some nice saves.”

Midway though the second half, Mountaineers goalkeeper Lauren Lesky stopped back-to-back blasts from Maddy Bennett and Liz Penegor.

“Lauren made a big one there,” Hodgins said.

The Mountaineers continue UP Soccer Conference play Thursday when they host Houghton.

“This was stressful,” Hodgins said of his first Iron Mountain-Kingsford coaching debut. “They played better than their record. Houghton is a good team as well. We have to be ready for them.”

The Flivvers face Three Lakes on Friday and the Mountaineers on Monday.

“We play like this every game we’re going to win some games,” Lorenzoni said. “Iron Mountain’s a good team and had chances. The heart was there. We’re going to break through, hopefully, Friday night.”

Kingsford 0 0 — 0

Iron Mountain 1 0 — 1

First Half

IM — Olivia Stanchina (Reagan Lundholm)