Lady Dogs best Loyola in playoff opener

The Lady Dog soccer team is moving on to the semifinals after a 4-2 takedown of Missoula-Loyola on Saturday.

Emma Barron got things started for the team with a goal in the 11th minute to put Whitefish ahead 1-0. Maya Lacey, assisted by Josephine Brown, added to that with a goal in the 20th minute.

Lexi Von Doersten of Loyola came back with a goal of her own three minutes later to bring the score to 2-1, however, until Anna Cook notched her own goal later in the half.

Whitefish led 3-1 at the half.

Gisele Huffman added another goal for Loyola in the second half but the Lad Dogs would keep their opponent scoreless for the rest of the match.

Josie Schneider added a final goal in the 49th minute to put Whitefish ahead 4-2.

Whitefish put up 17 shots on goal to Loyola’s 9. Sami Galbraith had 8 saves in the net.

This week the Lady Dogs will host Billings Central in the semifinal.

That puts them in the same position as last season, when the Rams knocked them out in the semis en route to a state championship.

The teams met earlier in the season, with Billings coming away with a 5-0 win.

The key is going to be stopping Morgan Ferestad, who has continued to push her state-record goal count through the season.

The game will start at 1 p.m. at Smith Fields.

Whitefish 3 1 — 4

Loyola 1 1 — 2

W ­— Emma Barron 11:00

W — Maya Lacey (Jo Brown) 20:00

L — Lexi Von Doersten 23:00

W — Anna Cook 32:00

L — Gisele Huffman (Sydney Koppang) 38:00

W — Josie Schneider (Sophie Olson) 49:00

Shots: Whitefish 17, Loyola 9. Saves: Whitefish 8 (Sami Galbraith), Loyola 13 (Megan Neuman). Corner kicks: Whitefish 5, Loyola 1. Fouls: Whitefish 5, Loyola 7.