Sandpoint uses fast start to top Vikings 3-1

SANDPOINT — It didn’t take long for the Bulldogs to get on the board Thursday against Coeur d’Alene.

Only four minutes in, senior midfielder Hannah Eddy took a pass from sophomore forward Kylie Williams on the left side of the Vikings goal, drove inside the penalty area and sent a shot toward the right post that slowly rolled its way into the back of the net.

From there, Sandpoint girls soccer controlled the game the rest of the way en route to a 3-1 win at Pine Street Field. The victory gives the Bulldogs a season sweep of the Vikings after they beat them 3-0 in Coeur d’Alene on Aug. 27.

“I never know how we’re going to start to be totally honest,” Sandpoint head coach Conor Baranski said, “but before the game we talked about how at the most we have six games left together so let’s make the most of it, let’s have fun while being competitive and holding each other accountable ... I don’t know if thats what did it, but we started really well.”

But before the Bulldogs scored, Coeur d’Alene had a chance to get on the scoreboard first in the first minute of play on a corner kick. The kick sailed toward the front of the Sandpoint goal and found the head of a Vikings player who sent the ball off the top of the crossbar.

The Bulldogs were able to survive that early scare and keep the ball out of their end for a majority of the first half.

Junior forward Jordie Breeden led the offensive attack and in the eighth minute she fired a shot from about 18 yards out on net that Coeur d’Alene goalkeeper Autumn Lambert was able to get her hands on and keep from finding the back of the net.

The Bulldogs continued to create chances and in the 14th minute they broke through once again. Coeur d’Alene was attempting to clear the ball out of its own end but misplayed it and senior forward Emi Lynch was there to make the Vikings pay. She took the ball from just outside the 18-yard box and fought her way to the penalty spot where she sent a shot to the back of the Coeur d’Alene net.

Sandpoint would take the 2-0 lead into halftime.

“First half was really, really good,” Baranski said. “If I’m being hypercritical, we were a little disorganized on defense in the first half but everything other than that we were playing quick, we were playing fluid and our forward runs were very effective. I was really happy at halftime.”

To start the second half, Baranski decided to rest a few of his starters including Breeden and the Vikings took advantage.

Coeur d’Alene got a few scoring chances including on a free kick from Vikings junior defender McKenzie Mattis who sent the ball in the box and forced junior goalkeeper Hattie Larson to have to reach up and make a save to prevent a goal.

Despite the Vikings early pressure, Sandpoint was able to find the back of net first in the second half. In the 52nd minute, Sandpoint stole possession from Coeur d’Alene and Williams got the ball and sent a strike to the far left post to make it 3-0.

Coeur d’Alene would finally find the back of the net in the 57th minute when Vikings senior forward Jordan Roth fought through the Sandpoint defense and sent a shot past the outstretched arm of Larson.

Junior Aspen Larson created a few more scoring chances for the Bulldogs down the stretch, sending a pair of crosses off the top of the crossbar, but Sandpoint couldn’t convert.

“Second half, Coeur d’Alene kind of changed their tactics up and it obviously was effective because we were less effective,” Baranski said, “but I appreciate we still got a goal in the second half and our players kind of figured it out.”

Sandpoint (9-3, 3-0 IEL) will remain at home to host Moscow noon Saturday at Pine Street Field in its final regular season match.

Baranski called Saturday’s match a must-win to lock up the No. 1 seed in league for the district tournament. The Bulldogs beat Moscow 7-0 earlier this season.

First half — 1, Sandpoint, Hannah Eddy (Kylie Williams), 4:00. 2, Sandpoint, Emi Lynch, 14:00.

Second half — 3, Sandpoint, Kylie Williams (Hannah Eddy), 52:00. 1, CDA, Jordan Roth, 57:00.

Shots on goal — Sandpoint, 9. CDA, 6.

Saves — Sandpoint, Hattie Larson, 4. CDA, Autumn Lambert, 5, Lily Foster, 1.