Stars blank Colony girls 3-0

PALMER — Soldotna head coach Mike Tovoli is still looking for his team to put in a full 80 minutes.

The Stars were pretty close on Saturday.

Soldotna scored a 3-0 win over Colony during the title game of the Northern Lights Conference Championships at Colony High School on Saturday.

“It hasn’t happened this region tournament yet, or I should say all season long,” Tovoli said. “This region tournament, the first game we didn’t put together anything against Grace and we scratched by. Yesterday we put together 40 minutes worth of soccer (against Wasilla). Today, I believe we put together about 70 minutes of soccer, which is a much better effort.”

Jordann Nelson, Tessa Tovoli and Julie Litchfield each scored in the win to help Soldotna win its second straight NLC title.

“They all really came to play today,” Tovoli said. “I really give them credit for not getting down on themselves.”

Soldotna goalkeeper Rebecca Satathite and the Stars also recorded their third straight shutout of the three-day tourney. Soldotna beat Grace Christian and Wasilla 1-0 during the first two rounds, before the win over Colony.

“It’s a great accomplishment,” Tovoli said. “I can’t give enough credit to my goalkeeper. I can’t give enough credit to all my girls. All my girls in back worked their butts off.”

Tovoli said the Stars certainly operate with a defense-first philosophy.

“My biggest thing, our biggest thing on this team, we play defense from our forwards to the back,” Tovoli said. “There’s no one person that does not play defense for me, or they don’t play.”

While Tovoli was pleased about his team’s 70-minute effort. Colony head coach Lorie Miner said the Knights faded after falling behind and struggled to get things going.

“The girls even said so,” Miner said. “When the first goal was scored on us, their heads went down and they were out of the game.”

Nelson provided that first Soldotna score in the 29th minute. Kaitlyn VanMeter sent a cross from the left side of the field to Nelson, who knocked the ball inside the far post.

At the end of the first half, Soldotna pushed its lead to a pair of goals with a Tessa Tovoli score. Freshman Kylee Wolfee crossed the ball from the left to help set up the score.

Litchfield capped the scoring in the third, with a goal in the 59th minute. Erica Byerly fed a ball through to Litchfield, who drove into the penalty box to set up a short breakaway.

The championship contest was physical. Late in the contest, a Soldotna player collided with Colony goalkeeper Jaden Chew. The CHS freshman keeper was forced out of the game after the contact.

Colony 2, Kenai 0

PALMER — Junior Brittney Anderson scored twice during a six-minute stretch to lead the Colony Knights to a 2-0 win over the Kenai Kardinals during the NLC semifinals on Friday.

Senior Jamie Krediet sent a ball through the midfield to set up Anderson’s first score during the 23rd minute. In the 26th minute, Anderson took an Ali Baker cross from the right side to score.

All-Northern

Lights Conference

Girls NLC Player of Year: Kaili Sholin, Soldotna

Girls NLC Coach of Year: Mandy Adair, Nikiski.

Girls All-NLC first team:

Katelyn Houston, Grace; Ashlynn Frizzelle, Wasilla; Nikki Vanni, Wasilla; Shelby Toombs, Wasilla; Kendra Miner, Wasilla; Alicia West, Skyview; Tamlyn Silva, Skyview; Angie Parrish, Nikiski; Kendal Venzke, Palmer; Megan Stark, Palmer; Jamie Krediet, Colony; Brittney Anderson, Colony; Kaitlyn Van Meter, Soldotna.

Girls All-NLC second team

Erin Muray, Wasilla; Sage Allen Grace; Cassie Ross, Kenai; Allie McGahan, Kenai; Nicole Tromblee, Sky; Brittany Tuttle, Nikiski; Elliot Perkins, Palmer; Miracle Burton, Palmer; Ashley James, Colony; Jaden Chew, Colony; Rebecca Satathite, Soldotna; Kylee Wolfe, Soldotna; Julie Litchfield, Soldotna.