Wolverines edge Warriors in girls soccer state title match

ANCHORAGE — It’s played on 120 yards of turf, but the sport of soccer can become a game of inches.

South Anchorage’s Grace Chartier slipped a shot just inside the right post during the final seconds of the first half, and the Wolverines held on for a 1-0 victory over Wasilla in the ASAA/First National Bank State Soccer Championships Division I girls’ title match Saturday at Service High School.

“I told the girls before the game, it’s not going to be a 30-yard ripper that’s going to win it. It’s probably going to be a scrappy goal,” Wasilla head coach Patrick O’Neil said after the loss. “Probably going to be an ugly goal that was going to win.”

O’Neill said the late first-half goal allowed by Aleks Kvalheim shouldn’t overshadow the junior goalkeeper’s stellar tournament and season.

“She’s pretty down right now, but she’s one of the main reasons why we’re here,” O’Neill said.

In 17 matches this season, Kvalheim and the Warriors allowed only six total goals. Chartier’s goal Saturday was only the second scored against the Warriors in the flow of play. The other four came off either penalty kicks or corner kicks. Kvalheim robbed South of several other quality opportunities, ripping a handful of shots off direct kicks and corner kicks out of the air.

“She’s got super strong hands. And her volleyball background, you don’t see a lot of girls goalies with a vertical jump like she has,” O’Neill said.

The win marked South Anchorage’s third straight shutout in the tournament. The Wolverines opened with a 2-0 win over Railbelt runner-up West Valley and upset two-time defending state champion Dimond in the semifinals.

“Honestly, we knew we had to bring everything-plus to beat these guys,” O’Neill said. “They’re on a roll, and I think psychologically, when they beat Dimond, that really put them on another level.”

Wasilla had its chances. Arguably the best came late in the second half. Alexis Friesen sent a long kick into the box from the left side of the field. Kamryn Broach was able to get a piece of it, but South goalie Alex Nowka was able to make the save right on the goal line.

O’Neill said he is trying to stress the positive and the accomplishment. Saturday marked the first time a Wasilla soccer team competed a state final in school history.

“That’s what we’re focusing on,” O’Neill said. “The achieved something no other (Wasilla) team has.”

Friesen, Nicole Catlet and Reese Sande were named all-tournament for Wasilla.

Moose girls place fifth

Soldotna converted a penalty kick with six minutes left in regulation to edge Palmer 1-0 in the Division II third-place game Saturday morning.

Palmer is in the state tournament for the first time since 2007. Palmer also scored its first state tourney win in 11 years, with a 6-2 victory over North Pole in the quarterfinals on Thursday.

Delaney Shults represented the Moose on the all-tournament team. Palmer also received the Division II girls’ team sportsmanship award.

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