Making a statement, Chiefs rally for upset

MOSES LAKE - It was just a matter of time.

Yes, Class 4A's fifth-ranked Chiawana team raided Lions Field on

Saturday in hopes of getting a Big 9 win over the Moses Lake High

School girls soccer team.

MOSES LAKE - It was just a matter of time.

Yes, Class 4A's fifth-ranked Chiawana team raided Lions Field on Saturday in hopes of getting a Big 9 win over the Moses Lake High School girls soccer team.

Yes, they built a 2-0 halftime lead.

But no, it never seemed that they were really in control.

That feeling manifested itself in a second-half rally for the ages as the Chiefs mounted a furious comeback to win 3-2 in overtime on a Dani Crawford strike in the 82nd minute.

"We made adjustments at halftime which settled the girls down and we maintained the majority of the possession in the second half, playing to our potential," Chiefs coach Ric Char said. "The girls, once again, refused to quit and showed a huge amount of heart to pull out the victory. I was proud of the team's efforts to rally and play as a team."

Even in the first half, after giving up an early goal on a brilliant strike by Chiawana's Lexi Miller, the Chiefs managed the run of play for the next 20 minutes.

Yet a 31st minute score by Erin Husingh made it 2-0 and for just a moment let the air out of the Moses Lake (3-2-1, 1-1) sails.

But for only a moment.

Colby Harper would bring the Chiefs back into the fray with a 53rd minute goal off of a Hunter Mauseth assist and it was a 2-1 game.

"Colby showed a ton of patience and great touch to put it up and over the goalkeeper," Char said. "It went across the goal off of a nice inside foot volley."

The teams traded proverbial punches until Kimmi Bakker knotted the game at 2-2 apiece in the 70th minute thanks to a solid corner kick service by Magie Munoz.

"Kimmi scored second off of a beautiful corner kick by Magie," Char said.

After 11 minutes seeing neither team break through to win in regulation, it would be Crawford who rose to the occasion and secured the win for Moses Lake, knocking in a Kelsie Grant assist.

"Kelsie found a way to put the team on her shoulders at center midfield and wanted to win the ball game," Char said. "Which she did by providing the assist to Dani, who kicked it right past the keeper. It was a beautiful shot."

Each team finished with 10 shots at goal and Chiefs goalie Cortney Radocaj ended up making four saves.

"Credit goes to Cortney for only being formally trained this year at goalkeeper," Char said. "Matt Armstrong, a volunteer coach for us, has helped our goalkeepers get to where they are today."