Kenai girls 2, Palmer 0

PALMER — There’s little room for error during the first round of the single-elimination Northern Lights Conference Championships.

The Palmer Moose found that out on Thursday afternoon.

Kenai Central junior Casey Coupchiak scored during the 14th minute to spark the Kardinals in a 2-0 win over the Moose during the first round of NLC play Thursday at Palmer High School.

“We came out in the first half and really did control the run of play, but giving up a goal like that kind of takes the wind out of you,” Palmer head coach Brian Fish said after a loss that ends his squad’s 2009 season. “Then you’re kind of playing from behind. Sometimes too much of a sense of urgency, you get out of your game plan.”

Senior Holly Perkins also scored for the Kardinals, who now move forward to play Wasilla in the semifinals today at 3 p.m. at Palmer High.

Kenai head coach Daniel Verkulin said he was pleased his team was able to grab the victory, despite the slow start.

“The girls came out in the first 15 minutes and they kind of had our number,” Verkulin said. “They were beating us to the ball.”

Once the Kards settled down, Verkulin said, he saw good things. The forwards — led by Coupchiak and Perkins — put pressure on the Moose net, the midfielders moved the ball up the field and the defense kept Palmer scoreless.

“Our defense was pretty solid,” Verkulin said. “We didn’t let a lot of balls slip through the middle.”

Perkins slipped a cross from the right side to set up Coupchiak’s score in the 14th minute.

“She worked really hard to get through the defense,” Verkulin said of Coupchiak, a two-time All-NLC selection. “Definitely little girl, big heart.”

Coupchiak also helped set up Perkins’ goal.

After Perkins chipped the ball up to Coupchiak, the junior sent the ball back to her senior teammate, who split the Palmer defense in the right side of the box and sent a shot into the far side of the net.

Led by senior Krysta Theisen and junior Shawna Thein, the Moose were able to get a few solid chances on net, but couldn’t crack the Kenai goal.

“The opportunities were there, but we couldn’t seem to get one in,” Fish said.