Rubright leads Ferris past Mead

Stephanie Rubright made a suggestion, coach Robin Crain was up for it and the result was a three-goal, second-half Ferris rally to beat Mead 4-3 in a wild start to the Greater Spokane League girls soccer season.

Goals came in spurts, with Mead building a 3-1 lead by intermission. But, said Crain, his team worked harder in the second half and it paid off.

“They were really moving well off the ball and we were doing a lot of standing,” he said. “In the second half our girls started moving off the ball and I think it made a difference. We put more pressure on their backs, too. We threw another forward up front.”

That additional forward, at her suggestion, was Rubright, who had been playing center midfield. She responded with a goal that cut the lead to 3-2 14 minutes into the second half and assisted sophomore Kirsten Bafus on two more that gave Ferris the win.

“I just know what I can do,” said Rubright, who added she doesn’t lack in confidence. “I thought we were lacking an offensive attack and thought I could help the team by making the switch.”

Mead caught a break and scored first when a shot slipped through freshman goalkeeper Liz Boyden’s hands. Jill McAndrews, standing behind Boyden, booted home the uncontested goal.

Ten minutes later Chelsea Mykines was left open to the left front of the net and put the Panthers ahead 2-0 after taking a pass from Megan Faulkenberry.

But Tori Crain’s brilliant shot from 30 yards out, that began with her back to the goal, suddenly halved the lead. She spun and kicked the ball over her left shoulder, a laser that found the middle of the net.

“She’s really good with turning on the ball and knocking it,” said her dad. “Yeah, it was a great goal. Then we had a letdown.”

Mead’s Alysha Smith answered as the half wound down and Mead had its two-goal lead back.

But the Saxons tightened up a defense that had been vulnerable to the long ball, Rubright ignited an offense that scored the tying and winning goals and Boyden made a double save, knocking a shot off the crossbar, then challenging and blocking a second attempt, to preserve victory.

“It’s always good to get the first one out of the way,” said Crain. “Rubright played great, she creates a lot. And I think Liz Boyden was huge in the second half.”

Elsewhere, in a crazy GSL match, Shadle Park rallied to beat West Valley 4-3 following a scoreless first half. Then the teams erupted. The host Eagles scored three goals in a 10-minute burst shortly after intermission. But in its own 10-minute span, Shadle scored four times, Ali Fenter with a hat trick that took just seven minutes to accomplish.

Also, on a day of high-scoring matches, defending champion Gonzaga Prep got two goals each from Therese Agnew and Sarah Dean, her second by bending in a corner kick, to beat Central Valley 5-2. … Tonya Schnibbe and Alex Marquard combined for three goals and an assist, on Schnibbe’s corner kick to Marquard, as league favorite University beat visiting East Valley 4-1. … Veteran Mt. Spokane made its playoff intentions felt with a 7-1 romp at home past Lewis and Clark. Chrissy Smalley had a first-half hat trick as the Wildcats scored six goals by intermission. … North Central beat visiting Clarkston 6-0, Whitney Ramsey with four goals, giving her seven in two matches. … Cheney blanked Rogers 7-0. Amanda Swenson had two goals.