Throughout the second half of their 3A bi-district playoff game Saturday, the Peninsula girls soccer team put heavy pressure on Prairie goalkeeper Lille Amies.
But Amies managed to keep the Seahawks off the scoreboard for more than 64 minutes.
That’s why when Peninsula’s Makena Getts punched a shot past Amies from about 35 yards out, the senior stood there as if to say “Finally.”
The Seahawks got that elusive goal, and it was enough to send Peninsula of Purdy past Prairie for a 1-0 victory on Saturday at Prairie High School.
“They brought a lot of pressure,” Prairie coach Ryan Glaser said. “We watched a lot of film on them the other day, and that’s exactly what we expected. We couldn’t figure out how to get out of it.”
In fact after scoring that goal, Peninsula did not let up the pressure on Prairie. The Seahawks might have added on a couple of more goals if not for the stellar play of Amies.
“Lille played fantastic,” Glaser said, noting that she made eight saves. “She’s definitely our centerpiece back there in goal. … I’m not going to love having her leave after this season, but she’s been a mainstay, four-year starter in goal for us.”
As it was, one goal proved enough for the Seahawks because of a talented backline of defenders.
“The conversation we had about the best way to break that defense was to go up and over the top,” Glaser said. “We just couldn’t find that ball over the top. Everything on the ground, they were eating up.”
Saturday’s match was not a loser-out for Prairie. The Falcons will get another chance to qualify for the state tournament on Wednesday when the Falcons face Central Kitsap at Franklin Pierce High School in Tacoma.
“You win your league, you give yourself a second chance,” Glaser said. “We’ll get ready and got after that state berth.”
