Bulldogs down defending state champs in shootout
—Photo by JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY Sandpoint freshman goalie Shea Kilpatrick makes a key save in the shootout on Thursday in the state opener in Idaho Falls, helping the Bulldogs advance to the semis.
IDAHO FALLS — One of the more interesting facets of a state tournament is the varied contrast in styles between teams, often separated by eight hours of highways and completely unknown to each other upon taking the pitch.
Such was the case on Thursday, when winners of the past three state titles met in the first round, with Sandpoint prevailing 1-0 over defending state champion Preston in a penalty kick shootout at the Idaho Falls Soccer Complex.
After 80 minutes of regulation and two 10 minute overtimes failed to yield a goal, the game headed to penalty kicks, which are well known for their unpredictability.
“We lost in a shootout last year,” said Bulldogs head coach Conor Baranski. “I know how that feels.”
In the shootout, sophomore Riley Walkington missed her attempt to start things off, before seniors Taylor Ward and Olivia Moore hit theirs, followed by two more makes from juniors Yeo Yarnell and Casey Shaha.
Freshman goalie Shea Kilpatrick made a diving save, one of her six on the day in posting her third clean sheet of the season, and a Preston player missed the goal on an attempt, advancing the Bulldogs into the semis.
That the game even went to a shootout was partly because the Bulldogs had a tough time generating any quality looks among their 17 shots on goal, and partly because the defensive four of Ward, Yarnell, Mya Darling and Jezza Hutto were a brick wall in the final third.
While the Bulldogs (7-5-5) favor possession and a slower build up on offense, Preston (13-4-3) played an unusual and tough-to-defend style, constantly kicking long balls ahead and trying for the quick score, but to little avail, mustering only five shots on goal.
“They (Preston) had a fast, aggressive player, but our back four were more or less flawless against a tough opponent. Shea was impressive in reading the play and helping our defenders clear the ball,” praised Baranski, who felt his was the superior side. “We could not get a shot on goal today. We dominated from the first minute to the last minute, and were very clearly the better team. They had five defenders in the back for the second half, and we were still getting chances.”
Sandpoint faces Twin Falls (13-3-1), a 2-0 winner over Skyview in the opener, in another tough game today, at 1 p.m. in Idaho Falls.