State Quarters: Game 19, @STA vs. BV Southwest

State Quarterfinals: Game 19, @STA vs. Blue Valley Southwest

If you take out the first nine minutes tonight we lost 2-1, but boy were we good in those opening nine minutes, scoring three very nice goals to grab a 3-0 lead.

It all started with our new revamped kickoff play that basically got us into position to push Pyle to goal -- less than 30 seconds in.  Sweeney then found Meyers and then Kutey from her baseline home, and before you knew it, we were up three.

But as predicted, Southwest did not quit.  In fact they came inches away from making the match 3-2 just before half, but Loughman came up with a great save to keep them at one.  Pyle then came back deep in the midfield to win a ball before getting it to Olivia who threaded a great through ball that took Jamie 60 yards to goal.  So we exited the half with a 4-1 lead.

And there it stood until Eldridge hit a late deadball pop up that cleared Kutney to end the match at 4-2.

BWhite once again went with the Kutey-Pyle combo as the BWhite Players of the Match.  I would have to give a big-time shoutout for Olivia Meyers who was part of all 4 goals and who did a nice job winning the middle of the field tonight.

We got great minutes from Anne Poelzl tonight in the second half at center midfield as well.  In fact second half we were much better defensively and throughout the middle of the field than we were first half.

We beat a very, very good team tonight.  We just flat outscored them.

It is certainly an honor to return to the final four for our 10th straight year, and to have the opportunity to win a 4th consecutive state title. It will all start with Bishop Carroll on Friday night, and then we will take on the winner of Mill Valley and undefeated Valley Center if we can get by Carroll.

We have to give a shout out to fellow EKL quarterfinal winners BV Northwest and BV North.  The EKL is certainly flexing its muscle for postseason. 

STATS:
First Half:  STA: Shots: 7 (5) Corners: 2

39:35 Pyle (Meyers pushes it to Pyle on inside overlap)
32:53: Meyers (Sweeney T's it)
31:55 Kutey (Sweeney inverts it)
1:38 Kutey (Meyers shoots it through)

BVSW: Shots: 2 (1) Corners: 0

14:49: Lynch (Davis grounds it back post)

Second Half:  STA Shots: 1 (1) Corners: 5

BVSW: Shots: 4 (3) Corners: 1

3:13 Eldridge (she hits a high popup deadball that goes over keeper)

Corners Created (Kutey 3, Bride 2, Pyle 2)
Shots: (Kutey 2, Pyle 2, Disidore, Kwap, Meyers, Petty)