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Last-minute goal gives Eagan girls victory over East Ridge

By Dominic Davis, SportsEngine, 08/24/17, 9:30AM CDT

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Kayla Vrieze tallied the game's lone goal with 21 seconds to play, sealing a Wildcats' victory.


Eagan senior Molly Busch passes the ball up field in Thursday's soccer match at Eagan High School. The Wildcats defeated the Raptors 1-0. Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine


Eagan teammates Abigail McKenzie and Julia Barger battle East Ridge's Anne Larsen for control of the ball in the Wildcats' 1-0 victory. Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine

After taking 12 shots in the second half of its season opener against East Ridge Thursday night, Eagan capitalized on its last opportunity of the match.

Kayla Vrieze scored with 21 seconds left in the game to seal the Wildcats' 1-0 home win.

Vrieze was in position to notch the game-winner as a result of a switch in Eagan’s attack, one that proved to be the key moment in the game.

Wildcats coach Bulut Ozturk sent Vrieze from her defensive position to forward -- a move Vrieze said was the first of her high school career.

All she could think about after her position change was scoring.

“It’s always more exciting when it’s late in the game,” Vrieze said. “It was a big win for us, first game of the year is one you always want to win.”

She said using the tactic again will depend on the situation. In Thursday's game, her involvement in the attack was the difference, so it should be expected she'll join the offense more this season.

A change in the game plan was necessary after both sides struggled to find scoring opportunities in the first half. Each generated just one clear chance before halftime.

The Wildcats found their form in the second half and tested Raptors goalie Payton Gutenberg. The junior was a huge factor in keeping the game scoreless for almost the entire match, finishing with nine saves, including one a strike from Eagan forward Molly Busch in a one-on-one scenario.

Ozturk said his team started to have doubts as the missed opportunities mounded.

“We were beginning to think that it possibly might not be our night out on the bench, but the girls on the field kept believing, kept fighting through it, and all we needed was one.”

East Ridge coach Tim Bunnell said there is a three-way position battle for the goalie spot this season, with junior Erika Freiberg and sophomore Lauryn Trebel competing with Gutenberg for the starting spot.

“We didn’t decide our starting goalie until last night,” Bunnell said. “We have three pretty talented goalies, and you can see by tonight how well [Gutenberg] played. The other two are very solid as well.”

He said the decision on which goalie starts will depend on the day and plans to give each time before settling on a regular starter before entering Suburban East Conference play.

Fitness and experience are advantages Eagan has over East Ridge, Bunnell said, adding most of his team has not played in a varsity game. It showed late in the game when the Raptors were stuck in their own half for long periods of time.

The Wildcats were perfect either, Vrieze said. She recognized her team didn’t play its best soccer for the entire 80 minutes, but is optimistic the Eagan will have a solid year.

“We didn’t start out very strong, but as long as we play together, I think we’ll be very difficult to beat,” Vrieze said.


East Ridge junior goalie Payton Gutenberg stretches to deflect a crossing pass as Eagan's Kayla Vrieze runs down the ball. Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine

First Report

Kayla Vrieze hit the ball into the bottom corner of the net with 21 seconds remaining in the game to give Eagan a 1-0 home victory over East Ridge in the season opener Thursday night.

The Wildcats (1-0) created more scoring opportunities than the Raptors (0-1) throughout the game, but they couldn't convert until the last minute of play.

The first half saw few chances for each side. Eagan, ranked No. 6 in the Class 2A coaches' preseason poll, nearly pulled ahead in the opening half, but East Ridge goalie Payton Gutenberg kept Molly Busch from converting her one-on-one chance. It was one of nine saves Gutenberg made in the game, as she helped keep the Wildcats offense in check. 

Linnea Yacovella almost headed in a goal for the Raptors just before halftime. Her attempt went above the crossbar, and the teams remained tied going into the second half.

The Wildcats offense played more aggressively in the final 40 minutes, sending extra players up into the attack. The Raptors, however, held strong until Vrieze's late goal.

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