Ladies fall in state rematch

Madisen Cross stood her ground in front of the net — even as she was being drilled with an onslaught of shots from every direction.

The junior keeper for the Lady Bulldogs soccer team was hit with 25 shots on goal as Whitefish fell to Billings Central in a 0-3 loss.

The game was a rematch of last season's Class A state championship. Billings won that game 4-1.

Cross deflected 15 of the 25 shots unleashed by the Rams, only letting a couple of loose balls find the net.

"Cross had an amazing game," head coach Erin Morrison said. "She had some great stops and just let a few slip by. I was really proud of her effort."

Central dominated the entire game, holding Whitefish to just three shots on goal in the shutout effort.

"Billings is a great team," Morrison said. "They move the ball really well, and they are fast. We were caught on our heels."

Morrison said the game was a great opportunity to let the girls know they still have a lot to work on.

"It grounds them a little bit," she said of the loss. "We'll just go from there."

Speed of play was a big factor in Billings' dominance, but Morrison said her team played hard the entire time.

"We're going to see them in the playoffs," she said about a possible rematch in October.

The Lady Bulldogs followed Friday's loss with a 1-1 tie against Laurel on Saturday at LHS Sports Complex.

Whitefish controlled the ball for most of the game and posted six shots on goal.

Presley Pritchard found the net halfway through the first half off a pass from Natalie Gayner — but the team struggled with finishing their shots for most of the game.

Laurel scored on a transition play in the second half to tie the match.

"In the second half, we were playing really well," Morrison said. "We had a few shots hit off the cross bar, the girls were giving everything they had. They didn't want to settle for the tie."

She said players Michela Millette, Natalie Gayner, Megan Apple and Linnaea Keane stepped up and played with a lot of heart.

The Lady Bulldogs next travel to Bigfork on Thursday.

Morrison says that as a first-year coach, she isn't sure what to expect from Bigfork.

"I like the fact that I can tell the girls, 'I don't know what this going to be like,'" she said. "That means they can just go in there and play."

The game kicks off at 3:30 p.m.

Whitefish 1 Laurel 1

Whitefish — Presley Pritchard (Natalie Gayner), 24:00

Laurel — Jenna Skattun, 66:00

Shots on goal — Whitefish 6, Laurel 6

Corner kicks — Whitefish 2, Laurel 6

Saves — Whitefish 3 (Madisen Cross), Laurel 4

Fouls — Whitefish 3, Laurel 1

Cards — None

Whitefish 0, Billings Central 3

Whitefish — No scoring

Billings Central — Morgan Seeley, 13:00; Taylor O'Toole, 58:00; Jackie Elliott, 77:00

Shots on goal — Whitefish 3, Billings Central 25

Saves — Whitefish 15 (Madisen Cross), Billings Central 2