A fast start lifted No. 5 seed Breck past No. 1 Holy Family 4-1 in the girls’ soccer Class 1A semifinals. 

Georgia LeWin-Mills got the Mustangs (10-4-4) on the board first 1:18 into the game by sending a shot into an open net. After the Fire tied the score, it took just 1:44 for the Mustangs to re-claim the lead on a goal from Dylan Baker. 

“We just knew it was going to be game on the minute they got (their) goal. We’re going to have to fight every minute if we wanted to win,” LeWin-Mills said.

Mimi Pavelka scored for the Fire (14-3-2) 3:15 into the game with a shot from 35-yards out that got over the outstretched arms of Mustangs goalkeeper Eva Breiland and under the crossbar. 

The two teams combined to score three goals in the first five minutes of the game, but the Mustangs had the early lead. 

“I don’t think we were necessarily prepared for a 2-1 (deficit) at that point of the game,” Fire coach Sammi Crocker said. “Some of the leadership on our team and on the field let the mental part of it get ahead of them.” 

The Mustangs defense shut the Fire down from there. Breiland stopped five shots, including one from just outside the goal area. The Mustangs have allowed more than one goal once in their last 12 games. 

“(Defense) was a huge factor,” Lewin-Mills said. “Our team starts with our back line. We knew (the Fire) has some very strong attacking players. (Our defenders) did an overall amazing job. They were a big part of us winning this game.” 

LeWin-Mills scored her second goal 17:16 into the game on corner kick that found its way through a crowd of players to extend the Mustangs lead to 3-1. 

JoJo Weissman capped the scoring with 8:17 left by shooting a bounding ball in the box under a sprawling Paidosh.