Kippin Keller has been one of the most consistent offensive players for a Minnetonka team experiencing an up-and-down season.
The Skippers started the year as the top-ranked team in the Minnesota State High School Coaching Association’s Class 2A poll but quickly slid out of the Top 10 after starting the season with two losses in their first three games. Minnetonka finished the regular season with a 6-7-2 record.
The junior, however, led the Skippers in scoring with eight goals and her play was key in helping the defending state Class 2A champion start tending upwards as it entered the postseason.
Keller added to her season scoring total in Minnetonka’s Section 6AA quarterfinal matchup with St. Louis Park as the forward tallied the game’s first goal, helping the fourth-seeded Skippers defeat the fifth-seeded Orioles 2-0 Tuesday at Minnetonka High School.
“She has found the back of the net a lot this season,” Minnetonka assistant coach Kelly Taylor said. “It is always important to get the first one, especially in sections and we have come to expect that from (Keller).”
Taylor addressed the media after the game because head coach Jeff Hopkins was ill.
Keller scored the goal with her signature shot.
She quickly made a move to her right, giving her the space she needed to unleash a right-footed shot that crossed the box and found the upper left corner just 12 minutes into the first half.
“I like to shoot it across and go for that left corner,” Keller said. “It has worked quite a bit for me this year and something that I really worked on even before the season.”
St. Louis Park pressured the Minnetonka early in the second half as the Orioles created several quality chances but couldn’t crack the Skippers’ back line.
Sophomore forward Kaitlin Campbell scored in the 57th minute for Minnetonka, proving the Skippers with some needed relief.
“I think we played a lot better once we got up 2-0,” Campbell said. “They were still in the game and we might have been a little tight, but we really played better once we scored the second (goal).”
Minnetonka withstood a desperation surge from St. Louis Park in the closing minutes as the Orioles tried to rally but came up empty on their scoring chances.
The Skippers’ defense was tough and stingy all night. They cleared balls and constantly forced St. Louis Park to bring the ball all the way up field on nearly every offensive attack.
“Our back line was great tonight,” Taylor said. “There has been a lot of switching back there, but I think we found something that is working of late.”
Minnetonka faces a familiar opponent Saturday as the Skippers travel to play rival Wayzata, the top-seeded team in Section 6AA.
The Skippers lost twice to Wayzata, No. 10-2A, in Lake Conference play this season, including a 3-0 defeat Oct. 2 in the regular-season finale.
