Knights sweep Chugiak; Wasilla girls net first win

PALMER — There aren’t many buzzer-beaters in soccer. But Tuesday night, the Colony Knights scored the game-winner just before the final whistle sounded.

Bella Brown knocked in a loose ball off of a Gabby Wakaliuk corner kick to give the Knights the 2-1 win.

“It was literally the last play of the game,” Colony head coach Jeremy Johnson said in a text. “(Chugiak) didn’t even get to kick the ball off.”

Brown’s big goal was the second unanswered goal as Colony rallied from an early 1-0 deficit. Brown set up the game-tying goal early in the second half. She broke free down the right side of the field, and crossed the ball to Haley Valdez, who tapped the ball in for a goal. Johnson said Wakaliuk and Samantha Johnstone also had quality chances before the Knights managed to notch the game-winner.

Chugiak took a 1-0 lead about 20 minutes into the contest.

Noah Krozel scored twice to lead Colony to a 3-1 boys’ win over Chugiak. Krozel converted a penalty kick to break a 1-1 tie. Sean McMillan set up Krozel’s second goal, storming down to the goal line before dropping a pass back to Krozel near the top of the penalty area. Krozel used a left-footed shot to give the Knights the two-goal lead.

Kyle Dearborn gave Colony its first lead, about six minutes into play.

The meetings marked the first since Chugiak joined the Railbelt Conference, which now includes Wasilla, West Valley, Lathrop, Eagle River, Colony and Chugiak.

Wasilla girls earn first win

After a brutal start to the 2019 season, the Wasilla Warriors scored their first girls’ soccer win of the year. Wasilla blanked Eagle River 3-0 Tuesday at Wasilla High.

Alexis Friesen, who will play Division I soccer at Nevada-Reno next year, scored twice. Freshman Raeley Carney scored her first career goal. Nicole Catlett finished with two assists. Darci Matson earned the shutout in the Wasilla net.

Wasilla, the Division I runner-up last year, started the season 0-2-1 in its first three games. After playing to a scoreless tie with South Anchorage in a rematch of the 2019 Division I state championship game, Wasilla suffered a 3-0 loss to Division II defending state champion Juneau. West Anchorage, a Division I state semifinals, edged the Warriors 2-1.

South sweeps Colony

South Anchorage swept a pair of matches Saturday at Colony High School.

South earned a 2-0 win in girls’ action and a 1-0 win in the boys’ match.

Contact the Frontiersman at sports@frontiersman.com.