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PUYALLUP, Wash. – Sometimes, despite proper planning, training and the best of intentions, the ball just doesn’t bounce your way.
So it was for Mt. Spokane girls soccer, as an own goal late in the second half proved to be the difference in a 1-0 loss to fifth-seeded Seattle Prep in a State 3A semifinal at Sparks Stadium on Friday.
The eighth-seeded Wildcats will face second-seeded Bellevue, which was undone by a golden goal in overtime in its semifinal matchup against third-seeded Roosevelt, in the State 3A third-place game on Saturday.
It’s the first time since 2012 Mt. Spokane has reached a girls soccer final four.
“Really proud of the girls, really proud of their effort, their resilience, their togetherness, those things cannot be taken away. Those things do not rely on results,” Mt. Spokane coach Michael Pellicio said. “Our whole point this year was that we want to inspire. I feel like we’re doing that to people in our community, to ourselves. These girls inspire me regularly. So not the best day for us, but it’s just a result of a sports game. The girls can’t possibly be upset about this season.”
With less than 10 minutes left in regulation in a scoreless tie, Seattle Prep sent a crossing pass into the box. Attacker Zoey Nelson got a foot on it but without much power, and Wildcats defender Laine Gardner tried to clear it. But the ball skidded on the wet playing surface and she redirected it past goalie Kenzie Shuler, who was moving laterally to collect the original volley.
“Laine did everything she’s supposed to do,” Pellicio said. “She fielded the cross, and in these slick conditions it went into the goal. I’ve said this many times – mostly because I’ve scored a lot of own goals – only good players score own goals. You’re making a play on the ball in the box.”
A final shot during stoppage time by senior midfielder Dakota Hansen sailed just wide left.
“What a phenomenal goal that would have been,” Pellicio said. “And it was out of sure will. She was doing everything right in terms of tracking the ball down, getting past a player, hitting it with her least-favorite foot. What a goal that would have been.”
It’s the first time Mt. Spokane has lost in regulation this season.
“We worked the whole game, and it was just unfortunate series of events,” senior Hadley Teed said. “We can’t really do anything about it now, but we can go get third place tomorrow.”
Columbia River 1, West Valley 0: The third-seeded Rapids (20-2) beat the visiting second-seeded Eagles (20-1-1) via shootout in a State 2A semifinal at Mount Tahoma HS. West Valley plays Bellingham in the third-place game on Saturday at 12:15 p.m.
Freeman 8, Northwest Christian 0: Nora Gass scored three goals and the top-seeded Scotties (20-0) beat the visiting fourth-seeded Crusaders (15-4-1) in a State 2B/1B semifinal at Memorial Stadium in Federal Way. Kelsey Hollen had seven saves for Freeman, which advanced to play in the state championship game on Saturday at 3:15 p.m.
Romy Tyler had nine kills and 14th-seeded Mead (10-8) beat 11th-seeded Skyline (14-14-2) in a State 4A loser-out match at the Yakima Valley SunDome.
The Panthers face Eastlake in a loser-out on Saturday morning. Mead lost to Kennedy Catholic in four sets in a first-round match.
In 3A, top-seeded Ridgeline and sixth-seeded Mt. Spokane both won first-round matches to advance to the quarterfinals, which ended too late for publication.
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