Eastview's Taylor Heppner (6) and Centennial's Katri Gifford (16) tried to advance the ball in Friday's quarterfinal match in Cottage Grove. Star Tribune photo by Marlin Levison.
In the other Class 2A girls’ soccer quarterfinal at Park on Friday, Centennial defeated No. 3 seed Eastview 1-0 in a shootout.
The unseeded Cougars played the game without leading scorer Jenna Roering (28 goals, eight assists), who is training with the U.S. Under-18 team. Instead, Centennial relied on keeper Kristi Lilja to provide the spark.
The senior stopped every shot that came her way through 80 minutes of regulation and 20 minutes of sudden-death overtime for her third shutout of the playoffs. She made heart-pounding goal line stops in each of the two 10-minute extra sessions: one off a corner kick and the other on a scrum in front of the left post.
In the shootout, she stopped a shot from Lightning senior Katie Tharp at her ankles to sent the Cougars to the Metrodome for the first time.
Sophomore Chelsea Weber scored the clinching goal in the shootout.
BRIAN STENSAAS
