Lakeville North’s Taylor Brownrigg got off a pass while fighting for position with Anoka’s Kaitlin Beckman during the first half of their 2A girls’ soccer quarterfinal match on Wednesday at Hopkins High. Lakeville North won 3-0.
Lakeville North standout Simone Kolander knew her top-ranked and No. 1 seeded team was not the underdog in the Class 2A soccer state tournament quarterfinal game against Anoka on Wednesday at Hopkins High School.
But the undefeated Panthers felt a need to prove themselves just the same. They won 3-0, advancing to next week's semifinals at the Metrodome. Kolander, the Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year, assisted on the first two goals and scored the third.
"People are kind of questioning if we really deserved [the No. 1 ranking], [asking] did we have an easy season that allowed us to be undefeated," Kolander said. "But I think we worked really hard to earn our No. 1 ranking."
Anoka (10-6-4) generated the game's first few quality scoring chances and seemed poised to take an early lead. But the Panthers (18-0-2) responded with three goals in a little more than seven minutes in the first half to take away the drama.
Kolander found Alexa Trakalo and Emily Clarkin for goals less than three minutes apart. Kolander's goal made it 3-0. As the Panthers' main playmaker. Kolander has 22 goals and 29 assists this season.
"We're definitely looking for her," Trakalo said. "I think we're all really good players but she does spark us."
Wednesday's victory cemented the Panthers' first trip to the Metrodome for the semifinals since the Lakeville schools split in 2005. Since then, Lakeville South held the balance of power in the community. The Cougars advanced to state in each of their first four seasons, a run highlighted by a championship in 2007.
Class A: Blake 4, Bemidji 0
Junior forward Grace Boatman provided plenty of offense as the Bears shut out Bemidji in a quarterfinal at St. Cloud State.
Boatman scored twice on rebounds in the first half - as Blake went into the break with a 2-0 lead. Senior midfielder Meghan Bauer drove home a loose ball in front of the net for a 3-0 second-half advantage at the 17:14 mark, and Bears forward Natalie Sill scored the game's final goal with 11 minutes to play off a cross from Hannah Randolph.
The Bears advanced to the semifinal round for the third years in a row. The placed third in 2010 and were runners-up in 2009.
Class A: Rochester Lourdes 2, Esko/Carlton 0
Lourdes struck quickly and then followed the lead of its defense to advance to the Class A semifinals. Senior Hannah Anderson drilled home the Eagles' first goal off a rebound at the 10-minute mark of the first half. Sophomore Emily Glynn scored in the 74th minute.
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