Lady Dogs top Broncs in OT to reach soccer semis
With their backs against the wall, the Lady Bulldog soccer team keeps finding the fire and will to stay alive in the State A playoffs.
Twice in one week, Whitefish rallied from behind to move on in the bracket. First with a wild 2-1 victory in a play-in match at Polson, then with an overtime thriller 4-3 at home over Frenchtown. They next face perennial power Billings Central on Saturday in the semifinals.
“We’ve talked all year about hard work and character,” Whitefish coach Roland Benedict said. “You have to earn it. Nothing is given to you.”
“These girls have the attitude that they’ll do everything they can until the final whistle to get the result they want.”
On Saturday against a fast and dangerous Frenchtown team, it took 100 minutes of all-out effort on the pitch to get that result.
Tied 3-3 after regulation in the State A quarterfinal match, junior striker Haley Nicholson found space at the top of the box and punched in the winning goal in the first overtime period. Pixie Moore assisted the score on a long pass from the back line.
“Pixie hit a big ball over their back line and Haley was ready for it,” Benedict said. “She buried it off the far post.”
Nicholson took only two shots on goal all game, scoring on both. Her first goal came on a penalty kick in the second half to put the Dogs up 3-2.
“Put her in front of the goal and she doesn’t miss,” Benedict said.
Katie Blankenship tallied in the 41st minute on a jumping kick from close range to tie the match at 2-2.
Anna Peterson opened the match with a shot from straight-away to give Whitefish the early lead. Julia Houston assisted on a nice through-pass.
Benedict gave much credit to his defense for keeping Frenchtown’s leading scorer, Abigail Teagle, in check. While Teagle had two goals in the match, the defense made her work for those chances.
“Teagle is fast and athletic,” Benedict said. “She’s very dangerous with the ball. We handled her to a certain extent. She had looks, but from tight angles.”
Frenchtown pushed hard in the second overtime looking for the equalizer, but Whitefish’s defense held strong.
“Lexi Carbo and Pixie Moore are giving All-State performances as sophomores,” Benedict said.
In the play-in match Oct. 13, Nicholson scored twice in the final eight minutes to lead Whitefish past Polson 2-1 and into the playoffs.
The Lady Pirates tallied in the 70th minute to take a 1-0 lead.
“We conceded a penalty kick on a hand ball,” Benedict said. “Immediately, the girls got together and said ‘absolutely not,’ and turned around and scored two beautiful goals for the win. It showed the character of the team.”
Nicholson scored her first in the 72nd minute on a pass from Blankenship to tie the game and the second on a pass from Houston two minutes later for the game-winner.
The coach commended the play of mid-fielders Melissa Pollard and Houston in both matches.
“Julia has played every position on the field at some point, and Melissa is a creative hub for us,” he said. “They are both true box-to-box midfielders.”
Whitefish now travels to face their nemesis at Billings Central, which topped the Lady Dogs in the 2013 State A title match.
Benedict says his team will approach the match like any other.
“We’ll go about our business,” he said. “Central won six titles in a row, and they’re a great program — but they’re beatable. It’s going to be an absolute battle.”
Frenchtown 2 1 0 0– 3
Whitefish 1 2 1 0– 4
W – Anna Peterson (assist Julia Houston), 19:00
F – Abigail Teagle (Pilar Field), 23:00
F – Teagle (Brooke Yarnall). 37:00
W – Katie Blankenship (Mellissa Pollard), 41:00
W – Haley Nicholson, pk, 47:00
F – Teagle (Yarnall), 60:00
W – Nicholson (Pixie Moore), 86:00
Shots on goal – Frenchtown 18, Whitefish 12. Saves – Frenchtown 7 (Shelby Shourds), Whitefish 17 (Kess Nelson). Corner kicks – Frenchtown 5, Whitefish 4. Total fouls – Frenchtown 7, Whitefish 14. Cards – None.
Whitefish 0 2 — 2
Polson 0 1 — 1
P—Marina Mayorga penalty kick, 70:00
W —Haley Nicholson (Katie Blankenship), 72:00
W—Nicholson (Julia Houston), 74:00
Shots on goal – Whitefish 9, Polson 15. Saves – Whitefish 12 (Kess Nelson), Polson 7 (Jenna Evertz). Corner kicks – Whitefish 4, Polson 2. Total fouls – Whitefish 8, Polson 9. Cards – None.