ARLINGTON — Lake Stevens and Kamiak battled to a 1-1 tie through regulation, and the game was decided on penalty kicks with the Vikings prevailing in the Class 4A runner-up game, earning their first trip to state since 2011.
Junior defender Jamie Lima, the last of five shooters for Lake Stevens, buried her try as the Vikings finished with a 4-3 advantage in penalty kicks.
“We actually have been changing our order around (for penalty kicks),” said Vikings coach Andy Knutson, “and we put (Lima) there because she’s been great in practice. And she did great (in the shootout).”
Lake Stevens opened the scoring about 12 minutes into the game. It began with a corner kick by midfielder Jenna Sampson, a low boot that bounced across the goal mouth to near the far post where it was gathered by defender Mattison Barnes and blasted into the left side of the net.
In the second half Kamiak kept up the pressure before finally getting the tying goal in the late minutes. The Knights sent a free kick into the box, where it was kicked around before finally ending at the feet of midfielder Jenny Wrobel, who knocked it into the left side of the net.
In the penalty kicks Lake Stevens took a 2-0 lead, but Kamiak rallied and had a chance until Lima delivered the game-winner.
“We played well in the first half … and it was a great thing for us to get up early,” Knutson said. “But Kamiak came back and gave us all we could handle. … Kamiak was just a better team in the second half.”
This will be the first trip to state for all the players on the Lake Stevens roster, and it will be particularly meaningful for the team’s seniors.
“Really, honestly, the coaches basically got out of the way this year,” Knutson said with a smile. “We’re pretty senior heavy, and (the seniors) decided that they were going to take over the season. They led well. … It was all them.”
Kamiak’s Alexie Morris went down hard in the penalty box midway through the second half, but the contact went uncalled, much to the consternation of the Knights players, coaches and fans. Morris briefly left the game, but then returned.
At John C. Larson Stadium
Goals—Mattison Barnes (LS), Jenny Wrobel (K). Shootout goals—Lake Stevens (Fernanda Pena, Jenna Sampson, Ashley Perry, Jamie Lima); Kamiak (Emele Chaddock, Wrobel, Amanda Gonzalez). Goalkeepers—Lake Stevens: Madison McDonald. Kamiak: Shannon Peth. Records—Lake Stevens 14-5-1 overall. Kamiak 14-4-1.
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