Lady Dogs get playoff win

The Lady Bulldogs soccer team garnered

some revenge at Laurel Oct. 15 as they shut out the Locomotives 2-0

for an opening-round win in the state Class A playoffs. Laurel

edged Whitefish 2-3 earlier in the season.

“Laurel is athletic and talented, but

our girls showed up to play,” Whitefish coach Wendy Farrens

said.

Whitefish’s lethal senior scorer led

the offensive effort. Natalie Gayner tallied in the 15th minute and

again in the 69th minute. The second goal to seal the victory came

on a through pass.

“Natalie challenged the goalkeeper and

was able to finish,” Farrens said.

It was the Dogs’ defense, however, that

was the difference on Saturday. Goalkeeper Piper Greenwood and the

back line keep Laurel scoreless on their 11 shots on goal.

“Anytime you go on the road and get a

shutout, that’s a good feeling,” Farrens said. “Our defense has

really stepped up all over the field, especially our back line.

Everyone had an awesome game.”

Whitefish (8-4-1) next travels to

Hamilton, the No. 1 seed in the South. Hamilton topped the Dogs 3-2

in a recent Oct. 8 match. The Lady Broncs topped Polson 4-0 to

advance to the semifinals. Farrens says Whitefish matches up evenly

with Hamilton.

“It’s playoff time and everyone puts

their best foot forward,” she said. “It will be an exciting

match.”

“We have to put together an entire game

again. We were able to win the individual matches in Laurel and I

hope we can do that again.”

The match at Hamilton is slated for 2

p.m. Saturday.

On the other side of the bracket,

Columbia Falls squares off with defending champs Billings

Central.

Whitefish 1 1 - 2

Laurel 0 0 - 0

W - Natalie Gayner, 15:00

W - Natalie Gayner, 69:00

Shots - Whitefish 8, Laurel 11. Saves -

Whitefish 8 (Piper Greenwood), Laurel 5 (Katrina Baumgartner).