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Mahtomedi swings momentum in first half, holds off Holy Angels in Class 2A girls' soccer

By Jim Paulsen, Star Tribune, 11/04/21, 4:00PM CDT

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What Cambelle Waldspurger did Thursday afternoon was remarkable. Not unique – it’s happened many times before — but there is still a “Did you see that?” element that can’t be overlooked. Or underestimated. And to do it on state soccer’s biggest stage just added an extra dollop of drama.

The Mahtomedi senior midfielder curled a corner kick directly into the opposition’s net for what turned out to be the winning goal in the first half of the Zephyrs’ 2-1 victory over Holy Angels in the Class 2A semifinals.

The victory sends Mahtomedi to its fourth straight state championship game. The Zephyrs will play No. 1-seeded Benilde-St. Margaret’s on Saturday.

“To score direct off a corner kick? It’s either good luck or bad luck. And for us, it was bad luck,” said Holy Angels coach Dave Marshak.

Waldspurger’s shot was far from lucky, according to Mahtomedi. She’s not the type to leave anything to chance.

“If you just aim for a set target and pass like you’ve been doing for, what, 14 years? It works out pretty well,” she said. 

Zephyrs coach Dave Wald piped in. “She’s a perfectionist. You should see her homework.”

“I’m very much a perfectionist, on the field and in school,” Waldspurger confirmed with a smile. “I just want to make sure of things any way I can.”

Holy Angels was the No. 2 seed in the state tournament and went into the game with 15 shutouts, having allowed just eight goals all year.

Things started out well for the Stars, who got a pretty goal in the first half when Audrey Garton converted a well-placed through-ball from Ella Clow in the 16th minute. 

“I think that woke us up,” Wald said. 

The Zephyrs tied the game thanks to their speed. Lauren Coy played a long pass ahead to Audrey Barry. The senior forward won a race to the ball, just beating Holy Angels goalkeeper Chloe Sandness. Barry’s touch redirected the ball into an open net in the 20th minute, setting up Waldspurger’s pinpoint heroics.

Waldspurger deflected credit for her corner-kick precision, mentioning past players and teammate Anabel Hillstrom, who also takes corner kicks for Mahtomedi.

Barry, however, put it bluntly. “She’s perfection. You saw it tonight.”

First report

Mahtomedi scored two goals in a five-minute span in the first half to turn a one-goal deficit into a 2-1 lead, and the Zephyrs made that stand up for a victory over Holy Angels and a berth in Saturday’s Class 2A state championship game.

Holy Angels, which had allowed just eight goals all season, took a 1-0 lead on Audrey Garton’s 25th goals of the season. Mahtomedi’s Audrey Barry tied the scored in the 20th minute and got the eventual game-winner in the 25th minute when Cambelle Waldspurger curled in a corner kick in the 25th minute.

The Zephyrs will play for their fourth straight state title. The won Class 1A championships in2017, 2018 and 2019.

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