Columbia Basin defeated Clark at home 1-0 to advance to the Final Four.
Madeline Dorendorf scored the lone goal on the day off a free kick from
Rosie Aguilera.
Clark gave the Hawks all they could handle at home but CBC was up for the challenge. Early on, Clark seemed poised to score as an early shot ricocheted off the cross bar and spilled out to another Penguin forward who headed it off the cross bar before it was cleared by the Hawks. Forward
Angelina Keister had a sliding shot off a cross that was just blocked away at the far post that would have given the Hawks an early lead. Instead, both teams went into the half tied at 0-0.
Outside of halftime, CBC was able to make so strategic adjustments on the field that shut down the Clark attack in the second half. In the 55th minute,
Rosie Aguilera sent a beautiful free kick that found the head of a streaking Dorendorf and the sophomore forward connected in the lower corner for the go-ahead and eventual game winner. Despite the 1-0 lead, the Hawks continued to press on offense and mount attacks. The defense was timely to passes and Clark was unable to set anything up. Lead by the trio of
Shelby Geiger,
Julissa Caceres and
Olivia Mendoza, the sophomore line was rock solid.
Just as it seemed the final whistle would sound, Clark drew a no-doubt foul that would lead to a penalty shot deep in the CBC box. Having all of the air sucked out of the field, it was up to
Samantha Groesbeck to find a way to preserve the win. As Clark wound up to shoot, Groesbeck correctly guessed to the left side of the net but the shot would sail 3 feet to the left of the post- NO GOOD. From there, CBC was able to put the game on ice and emerge victorious.
The win moves the Hawks to 11-1-3 on the year and on their way to another Final Four appearance. They will take on the winner of Bellevue and Rogue at 11am in Tukwila, WA at Starfire Soccer Stadium on Friday November 15th. A win there would put them in back in the championship match against the winner of Spokane and Peninsula.