State soccer: Warriors rally past Colony girls

EAGLE RIVER — For 60 minutes of soccer, Colony goalkeeper Maddy Zumda had an answer for everything the Wasilla Warriors threw at her.

But after the Warriors made a second-half adjustment, there was one Warrior who managed to find a way to the back of the Colony net. Wasilla junior Alia Donley scored twice during a four-minute span to help the Warriors rally to a 2-1 win over the Knights during the girls’ consolation semifinal round of the ASAA/First National Bank State Soccer Championships Friday afternoon at Eagle River High School.

“Alia’s a pure finisher,” Wasilla head coach Patrick O’Neill said after the win of Donley, who was named her team’s offensive MVP and first-team All-Northern Lights Conference. “She would be one of the top strikers in the state, but she’s so versatile for me, we play her all over the field.”

Donley helped Wasilla have success with its second-half adjustment, capitalizing on a pair of opportunities during a short span. Donley tied the game at 1 in the 61st minute, using her speed to beat the defense as she sprinted down a ball in the box. Once Donley got possession, she knocked it into the right side of the net. Four minutes later, following a Wasilla corner kick, the ball bounced loose right in front of the goal line. Donley managed to tip it past three defenders, and into the net.

Trailing 1-0 at halftime, O’Neill said he left it to his players to determine if the Warriors needed to change things up.

“We always go over scenarios. (The players) said if they were down going into the second half, they wanted to change up our system,” O’Neill said.

Rather than using a single striker, as Warriors, the Northern Lights Conference champions, have done throughout the season, Wasilla opted to push another player forward.

“We threw two forwards. We got several opportunities, kind of stretched out their defense a little bit,” O’Neill said. “I think that’s what gave us a little bit more room in the midfield.”

Colony head coach Lorie Miner said she felt there was more to it than Wasilla going to a different system.

“I think we became fatigued and lost our momentum,” Miner said. “Alia’s a great player. She’s very strong. If we don’t have her marked, what a difference it makes. She can push the ball through. We were fatigued and didn’t respond.”

Even after the Knights fell behind, Zmuda continued her stellar play in net, making a number of big saves to keep the match a one-goal game. Miner said Zmuda’s play is a product of her effort and determination.

“She’s dedicated, she’s committed,” Miner said of Zmuda. “She’s only a sophomore. She’s got two more years to rock it out.”

Miner said Zmuda proved her dedication to the team at the start of the season.

“End of last year we told her it was it position to lose. We told her she needs to be committed to playing in the goal for us. The beginning of the season, she goes my sister bought me a ticket,” Miner said of a potential trip for Zmuda that would force the goalie to miss the state tournament. “I said, Maddy, if you’re dedicated and commited to the team, and you want that starting position, you better go change it. She turned around, and changed it so she could be here for state. She knew her team was going to state.”

Natalie Nordland gave the Knights an early lead, using a breakaway to score during the 15th minute.

The Colony loss marked an end to an era for the Knights. The match is the final game in Miner’s long tenure as head coach of the Colony girls’ soccer program. Miner announced to her team prior to the region tournament that she is retiring from coaching. See an upcoming edition of the Frontiersman for more on Miner’s career with the Knights.

Juneau-Douglas 2, Wasilla 0

With a win over Colony Friday, Wasilla advanced to the girls’ fourth-place match.

Juneau-Douglas claimed fourth in the bracket with a 2-0 win over the Warriors Saturday morning at Service High School in Anchorage. The Crimson Bears netted both of their goals in the second half.

Wasilla’s Alexis Friesen was named all-tournament for the Warriors.

West Valley boys 4, Colony 3

West Valley used overtime to score a 4-3 win over Colony in the boys’ consolation semifinals Friday night in Eagle River.

West Valley used a pair of quick goals to jump to an early lead. But after West Valley took a 2-0 lead into the intermission, a trio of Colony seniors helped spark a rally. Seniors Ben Sande, Cameron Shaw and Alex Valdez each scored within the first 15 minutes of the second half to give the Knights a 3-2 lead.

West Valley used a goal set up by a corner kick in the 78th minute to force overtime, and scored the game winner during the first minute of the extra period.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.