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Class 2A girls: Lakeville North upsets No. 2 seed Andover

By ELLIS L. WILLIAMS, Special to the Star Tribune, 10/26/17, 7:00PM CDT

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The Panthers won 1-0 on a goal by Anna Steel with about five minutes remaining in the game.


Lakeville North's McKenna Nelson hugged Anna Steel (far right) after Steel scored the winning goal against Andover in the Class 2A soccer quarterfinals at Chisago Lakes. Photo: Richard Tsong-Taatarii/Richard.tsong-taatarii@startribune.com

When Lakeville North’s Anna Steel lined up for a free kick on the 25-yard line with about five minutes to play in a 0-0 state quarterfinal game against Andover, Panthers coach Jeremiah Johnson did not expect for the shot to go in.

“I’m sure if somebody captured a still photo of that, my mouth will be wide open,” Johnson said with a laugh.

Steel, with the ball set and her teammates bunched far left ready to attack, launched a shot that cut through wind and found the back of the Huskies’ net. Her 35-yard goal was the difference in a 1-0 victory for the unseeded Panthers against No. 2 Andover in the Class 2A matchup at Chisago Lakes High School.

“I walked up to it and had a good feeling,” Steel said. “I knew I was going to put it on target so I told all my teammates to crash the net… When I hit it I knew it was going to go in.”

Her teammates did crash the net, only to turn around to find Steel and celebrate her game-winning blast.

Second-seeded Andover seemed destined to take the perennial power Panthers to extra time as both teams spent the majority of play at midfield. 

Andover (15-2-2) knows what it takes for an unseeded team to make a state tournament run, having done it last year and finishing third. This season Andover led the North Suburban Conference in goals with 60 but was shut out on Thursday for the first time since its season-opener.

For the Lakeville North (10-5-4), Johnson said it was nice to come into the tournament unseeded for once. 

“Our program has been here seven times in a row and we have been the number one seed a few times,” he said. “There is so much pressure there.”

First report

Lakeville North defeated second-seeded Andover 1-0 on Thursday in the Class 2A girls’ soccer state quarterfinal at Chisago Lakes High School.

The Panthers' Anna Steel made a 35-yard free kick with five minutes to play for the game's only goal.

Andover (16-1-2) had not been shutout since its season opener.

Lakeville North (9-6-4) advances to the state semifinals at U.S Bank Stadium.

Check back later for more on the game.

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