Senior midfielder Samuel Ruiz Plaza’s goal on a free kick from 20 yards out in sudden-death overtime lifted top-seeded East Ridge to a 1-0 victory over Duluth East on Wednesday in the Class 2A boys’ soccer quarterfinals at Chisago Lakes High School.

“It was a magical moment,” Ruiz Plaza said. “It was in my range and I saw the opening in the wall. I [had hit] two crossbars in this game and had a few other chances, so I felt it was finally time for one to go in. I struck it well and looked up and it was money.”

The Raptors spent most of the second half on the attack and a game-winning goal felt like an inevitability, but they were repeatedly turned away by Greyhounds goalkeeper Hugh VanScoy.

“[VanScoy] was on fire. He was stopping everything,” Ruiz Plaza said. “We just kept fighting through, kept moving the ball and finally something good happened.”

East Ridge nearly had two goals in regulation that would have prevented overtime, but both were disallowed.

The unranked Greyhounds (12-4-4) played with East Ridge (20-0) in the first half, but in the second half the Raptors opened up the game.

“We finally started moving the ball around and finding and creating space,” Ruiz Plaza said. “We were just playing quick and simple and finally in the second half, we started to get a ton of chances.”

Duluth East scrapped to stay in the game behind VanScoy’s goalkeeping, but were unable to produce many scoring opportunities.

Senior Darby Henderson found space behind the Raptors’ defense late in the second half, but was unable to control the ball at his feet.

“We’ve never slipped up,” Ruiz Plaza said. “I think if we handle the pressure and play like we did today, good things can happen.”

Samuel Ruiz Plaza's goal from 20 yards out in overtime lifted East Ridge to a 1-0 victory over Duluth East on Wednesday in the Class 2A boys’ soccer quarterfinals.

The Raptors spent most of the second half on the attack, but were repeatedly turned away by Greyhound's goalkeeper Hugh VanScoy.

East Ridge remains undefeated with 20 wins and no losses.

Check back later for more on the game.