GIRLS SOCCER: Morris shakes off injuries, lifts Cougars past Panthers

Michaela Morris sat out the last 10 minutes of regulation Friday and left the game twice late with cramp issues.

It was only fitting the senior returned to decide a Division I state semifinal against Palo Verde.

Morris scored two go-ahead goals, including the game-winner 13 minutes into the second overtime period, to lead the Cougars by the Panthers, 4-3, at Heritage Park. Coronado (16-7) faces two-time defending state champion Arbor View (19-2-1) in the state championship at noon Saturday at Heritage Park.

“Michaela pushed through it and got back on the field,” Cougars coach Dana Neel said. “She faced a little adversity. That’s why she’s so big for our team. She pushes through it and finds a way.”

Morris, who also put Coronado up 2-1 in the opening half off an assist from Ashley Thomas in the 32nd minute, was set up near the far post in overtime when Alexis Schuck sent the ball in. Morris picked up the long pass, dribbled past a defender and put it in the back of the net before her teammates mobbed her in celebration.

Palo Verde’s Macee Barlow scored two goals, and teammate Mackenzie Nogues had a goal and an assist. Nogues scored 12 minutes into the match to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead.

Barlow tied the game, 2-2, just 30 seconds before halftime and gave the Panthers another lead late in the second half. Barlow took a ball from Nogues and sent it past the outstretched arms of Coronado goalkeeper Shannon Heenan to make it 3-2 in the 69th minute.

But two minutes later, Morris was knocked down in the box on the other side of the field to set up a penalty kick. Taylor Kornieck stepped in for the injured Morris and converted the kick to tie it, 3-3. Kornieck had two goals for the Cougars, who also got 11 saves from Heenan.

“She did awesome,” Neel said of Heenan. “She came out when she needed to and made the saves. When you have a confident keeper, it sure is helpful. She directed our defense and did a great job.”

Jordan Goyeau made eight saves for the Panthers (15-5-4).

With the win, Coronado broke its two-game losing skid in state semifinal matches.

“Most of these girls were there,” Neel said. “We know that this is our year. We’re not looking back on history. We’re playing with experience. We knew that we would get to this final game.”

Arbor View 5, Douglas 1 — Haley Vicente scored three goals, including two in the first 17 minutes, as the Aggies moved into the final by handing the Tigers their first loss of the season.

Vicente’s free kick five minutes into the match put the Aggies on top for good. She added a goal 12 minutes later off a cross from Sierra Vicente.

Allyssa Larkin’s goal from just outside the 18-yard box gave Arbor View a 3-0 lead at halftime.

Vanessa Lourenco added to the lead early in the second half before McKenna Kynett got Douglas (24-1) on the board.

Vicente converted another free kick to complete the scoring.

DIVISION I-A

Sophia Omidiji has led Sierra Vista’s girls soccer team all season long, so it was only appropriate that she scored the game’s only goal on Friday.

Omidiji scored on a free kick in the 23rd minute to lift the Mountain Lions to a 1-0 victory over Truckee in the Division I-A state semifinals at Heritage Park.

The win lifted the Mountain Lions (13-5-2) into the championship at noon Saturday, where they will play South Tahoe (20-2-1).

Sierra Vista coach Ross Muir said he never expected a single goal to win it.

“I knew they had a good offense, so I was expecting more goals,” he said. “But as the game progressed, it started looking like one of those 1-0 games.”

Muir credited junior midfielder Angelina Iniguez and sophomore forward Calista Reyes for helping his team control the ball offensively in the first half. But he gave the second-half credit to his defense.

“We needed all the defense we could get,” said Muir, who watched junior goalkeeper Jayla Olson withstand a frantic rally attempt by the Wolverines in the game’s closing minutes. “And Jayla had to take quite a barrage there at the end. She had three saves in the last five minutes.”

South Tahoe 2, Faith Lutheran 1—The Vikings scored in the second minute and never looked back en route to a victory over the Crusaders (18-7-3).

Ashlee Schouten scored both goals for the Vikings, the first coming from 25 yards out to give her team an early 1-0 lead.

Faith Lutheran controlled the ball offensively throughout the first half but was unable to capitalize on several scoring opportunities.

The Vikings took advantage early in the second half when a shot deflected off the hands of Crusaders goalkeeper Beka Lescenski and bounced back to Schouten, who put it in from close range.

Faith Lutheran cut the deficit to 2-1 on a breakaway goal by Brenna Rohnkohl in the 66th minute, and nearly tied it when

Rohnkohl banged a shot off the crossbar with three minutes to play.

But Vikings goalkeeper Alicia Rea, who finished with five saves, helped prevent further damage to preserve the win.