Kats stop Locomotives in OT, 4-2

They sure made it interesting. After going up 2-0 against Laurel on Oct. 13 in the first round of the state Class A playoffs, the Columbia Falls girls soccer team had to win the match in overtime at home to advance.

The Wildkats scored twice in the first half, first on a goal by Haley Purdy off a sweet feed from Danielle Delventhal at the 34-minute mark. Delventhal then added another goal of her own after a breakaway to make it 2-0 four minutes later.

But the Locomotives stunned the Kats in the second half with a pair of goals. The first was dropped in by Allie McGrath on a penalty kick. Just two minutes later, Lexie Lewis hit a shot to even the score.

“We played tentatively, cautiously, it was at our end too much,” coach Greg Trenerry said.

Neither team could score in the closing minutes and the game went to overtime. Overtime in soccer has two mandatory 10-minute periods. The score after both periods determines the game unless it’s still tied. Tie games go to a shoot-out where both teams take five alternating penalty kicks.

The Kats never let it get that far. Lindsay Strouse hammered home a goal in the first overtime period to make it 3-2, and then Haley Purdy scored on a feed from Delventhal at the 93-minute mark to ice the game, 4-2.

“They came out and played really well in overtime on offense and defense,” Trenerry said.

Kat keeper Kira Kamrud had nine saves — a few of them clutch — to keep Columbia Falls in the game.

“She had four real good saves,” Trenerry said.

The girls now face Livingston in the second round of the state playoffs as they continue to battle with Eastern teams. The game will be at home on Saturday starting at noon.

Livingston beat Hamilton 2-1 last week. If the Kats can get by Livingston, they’ll face either Whitefish or Billings Central in the finals. The Kats beat Whitefish twice this year, but Billings Central beat Columbia Falls in the season opener, 3-0.

Columbia Falls 2 0 2 – 4

Laurel 0 2 0 — 2

Columbia Falls 4, Laurel 2, OT

Laurel (9-4) -- Allie McGrath (penalty kick) 57:00, Lexie Lewis (McKenzie Kotter) 59:00. Shots: 19. Goalie: Katrina Baumgartner, 19 saves.

Columbia Falls – Haley Purdy (Danielle Delventhal) 34:00, Delventhal (Lindsay Strouse) 38:00, Strouse 83:00, Purdy (Delventhal) 93:00. Shots: 17. Goalie: Kira Kamrud, 9 saves.