POULSBO — The offense’s three goals will be credited with leading the Vikings to victory 3-2 over the Trojans Tuesday, but a key change in the defense may have been the secret to success for North Kitsap.

Mishaps in recent games, including a 4-1 loss to Shelton last week, caused NK coach Pat Stickney to rethink his back line. Before Tuesday’s game, he reverted the “D” to a flat-back four — increasing the line by one defender — and moved team captain Marc Anderson to the posterior to provide experience and leadership.

“It made a tremendous difference,” said NK goalie Patrick Moore, who provided six saves in the first half. “They were talking a lot more and that helped.”

That sparked opportunities for the offense, led by Carlos Portillo, who put in two goals on the night. He’s scored 12 on the season.

Portillo said the offense’s quick thinking helped put in North’s three goals.

“We try and make fast decisions, not struggle and just go for it,” he said. “If you have an opportunity and you’re undecided, the defender’s gonna take the ball from you.”

“We knew Carlos was gonna do that,” said Olympic Coach Steve Haggerty. “We just had trouble stopping him.”

North opened the scoring with Portillo’s penalty kick goal in the 38th minute from about 20 feet out.

That goal would prove to be the difference, with Olympic (3-4 league, 4-4-1 overall) and North Kitsap (4-3-1 league, 5-4-1 overall) splitting a pair of tallies in the second half in a 10 minute span.

At the 50th minute, Portillo put another into the back of the net off an assist from Ryen Elves. No more than 20 seconds later, Oly’s Paul Newling threaded his team’s first goal past NK’s Moore.

The Trojans tied the game with a strike by Cody Clark in the 58th. But within the next minute, North had the game winner, off the foot of Elves with an assist by Jonathon Critch.

The goal and assist were Elves’ first of the year.

North Kitsap hosts Central Kitsap at 6:45 p.m. April 26 at NK Stadium.