State soccer tourney: Late goal lifts West Valley

ANCHORAGE — Sometimes it’s not the hardest shot that makes the difference, it’s the one that just trickles by.

Amy Oates slipped a shot past Colony goalkeeper Katelyn Payne during stoppage play to lead the West Valley Wolfpack to a 2-1 win over the Colony Knights in the ASAA/First National Bank Alaska State Soccer Championships fourth-place game at Anchorage Football Stadium on Saturday morning.

Just minutes after Payne posted a potentially game-saving stop on a Shelby Solomon penalty kick, Oates was able to sneak one by the Colony keeper. Payne got both her hands on the shot, but the ball managed to squirt free and slowly rolled into the net.

“That’s just one things, you go ‘Oh my gosh’,” Miner said.

The West Valley score ended what proved to be a 40-minute roller coaster ride for the Knights.

Colony opened the second half with Kara Larson’s game-tying score.

Midway through the second, the Knights huddled at midfield as team doctors tended to injured junior Brandi Day.

Colony watched as Payne dove to push away Solomon’s penalty kick attempt after the Day injury.

And the Knights stood dazed as West Valley celebrated its game-winning score.

“You would think with everyone still being on a high from the save of the (penalty kick) they’d push the ball forward,” Miner said. “But at that point with the stoppage of play, you’re back down into this lull.”

A bizarre moment set up West Valley’s chance at the penalty kick. With the action in the West Valley box, Day and a Wolfpack forward collided while making a play for the ball. The West Valley forward went down immediately, while Day staggered and then went to the ground. A 10-minute stoppage of play followed, ending with Day being helped to the sideline.

“It sounds like a concussion, a pretty good concussion,” Miner said of the injury to the member of her defensive unit.

To add insult to injury, Day was actually whistled for a penalty on the play, giving the Wolfpack a free shot at the Colony net.

But Payne’s efforts prevented the Wolfpack from taking the lead at that point.

“That’s the second PK save that she has had in tournament play,” Miner said. “Just awesome, phenomenal.”

Solomon gave the Wolfpack the 1-0 in the 32nd minute, and West Valley carried that advantage into the intermission.

Larson used a high, looping kick to tie the score for the Knights in the 44th minute.

Miner said she felt the Knights needed to be a bit more aggressive on the offensive side of the field.

“We still weren’t capitalizing on the opportunities given to us,” Miner said.

Miner said the Knights have put an emphasis on team play, but as important as that is, she would have liked to have seen her players take more initiative on the offensive end.

“Be the one to stand up and take control of it,” Miner said.

The Knights end the season 9-6-2 overall. Although the Knights were forced to settle for sixth, Colony did make its first state tournament appearance since 2004, and are expected to return all but three players next season.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.