Mt. Spokane edges CV in GSL opener

Megan Nilsson has paid her dues, and she reaped the rewards Wednesday night.

Mt. Spokane’s goalkeeper came up big when it mattered most, in overtime and in a penalty kick shootout that gave the Wildcats a 2-1 win at defending State 4A champion Central Valley.

The match capped an exciting opening day of soccer in the Greater Spokane League, as four of the five contests went beyond regulation play.

“I’m just glad we only have to play CV once,” Mt. Spokane coach Ryan Campanella said of a match that paired the top two GSL preseason favorites on opening night.

After scratching their way to a 1-1 tie in regulation, Nilsson and the Wildcats faced a crisis moment in the waning seconds of overtime as CV star forward Kelsey Turnbow found space at the top of the box and prepared to shoot.

Nilsson’s first thought? “She’s not going to score,” said Nilsson, who closed quickly and turned back Turnbow’s shot.

“That set the tone, and it carried over into the shootout,” Campanella said.

Indeed, while the Wildcats (5-2 overall) made their first three kicks, Nilsson – a backup the last two years – went right to block CV’s first shot, then dove left to block the second.

With the Wildcats leading 3-1 after three rounds of the shootout, it fell to senior captain Maddy Boyd to finish the job. As her shot sailed past CV keeper Chloe Scholtz, Boyd was rushed by her teammates at midfield.

“It feels great, knowing that they won state and we can come in here and beat them,” said Boyd, who got the upset brewing with a counterattack in the seventh minute. Her cross found Kaylee Spear, who shot past Scholtz into the upper net.

Boyd almost made it 2-0 a few minutes later, but her shot was wide right.

CV pushed the attack, and was rewarded in the 34th minute when Taryn Miller headed home a corner kick from Natalie Cabiad. The Bears (5-1) dominated the second half, but Turnbow shot over the crossbar just after intermission and Megan Dimmler narrowly missed in the 67th minute.

“We were lucky not to give up a couple more goals, but the girls played their hearts out,” Campanella said. That included denying the ball to Turnbow, a national-level player who came into the match with seven goals and two assists in five games.

The Wildcats also endured a physical contest that included two yellow cards and several players being helped off the field.

The Bears, who won the state semifinal and final matches last year in shootouts, face another test on Friday against unbeaten Ferris (6-0)

Mt. Spokane will play 3A rival Shadle Park.

Shadle Park 2, North Central 1 (SO): Shadle Park goalkeeper Emily Keenan made a save on North Central’s fifth shootout attempt and Sidney Ritter scored on the Highlanders’ fifth try as Shadle won at Albi Stadium. Shadle scored at 7 minutes of regulation when Keilah Shaw took a one-touch pass from Mackenzie Warren and shot from 15 yards out. NC tied the match early in the second half on Maya Stewart’s direct free kick from 25 yards out.

University 2, Gonzaga Prep 1 (OT): Alli Smeltzer scored the game-winning goal in overtime to give the Titans the win over the visiting Bullpups. Following over 70 minutes of a scoreless draw, University got on the board first with a goal by Kelsi Walker in the 72nd minute. Gonzaga Prep tied the game minutes later with a Darby Doyle goal in the 78th minute to force overtime.

Ferris 3, Mead 2 (OT): Sydney Clements scored her second goal of the match in overtime in the 84th minute to lift the visiting Saxons past the Panthers. Ferris trailed Mead 2-1 late in the match before Caitlin Prothe scored the equalizer in the 78th minute.

Lewis and Clark 5, Rogers 0: Sarah Curran had a goal and an assist to lead the Tigers to victory on the road against the Pirates.