Moses Lake soccer district champs
Caylah Lunning (8) in action against Davis Oct. 25. Lunning scored two goals Saturday, Oct. 29 to lead Moses Lake girls soccer to its first-ever CBBN District Championship, beating Richland 2-1.
RICHLAND - Caylah Lunning scored two goals to lead the Moses Lake High School girls soccer team a 2-1 win over Richland Saturday. The victory earned the Chiefs their first-ever CBBN district championship.
"It was a big win for the program," coach Ric Char said. "It really attests to the hard work the girls have put in all year. And any time you can beat a team with a storied history like Richland, that's icing on the cake."
The victory over the Bombers gave the Chiefs the No. 1 seed in the regional tournament Saturday. The team earned a first round bye and will host the loser of the Mead and Central Valley match at 1 p.m. The Bombers are the No. 2 seed and will play the winner of that game at 1 p.m. Saturday in Richland.
Lunning got the Chiefs on the board first after taking advantage of a good bounce off a long clearing kick from Moses Lake keeper Heidi Palmer and squeezed past the last two defenders for a breakaway. She also managed to get past the Bombers keeper Shelby Long and drilled the ball into the bottom right corner of the box for a 1-0 lead.
"Caylah scored off a fast break ball that Heidi punted down field," Char said. "There was a little confusion by some Richland defenders and she got by them for the goal."
The lead held up through intermission.
A tough determined Bomber team came out of the break looking to even the score, did just that on a goal by Kirsten Calmus, who tapped in a deflected header off the hands of Palmer to tie the score 1-1.
Both teams held the other in check until the 70th minute of play when freshman Alysha Overland drove the ball down the left wing and was challenged by a Richland defender near the 18-yard box. Overland was turned away, but the Bombers failed to clear the ball. Lunning lurking nearby, took control and dribbled to her right, beating Long to the left corner and the Chiefs went up 2-1.
"Alysha worked hard to keep the ball alive," Char said. "Then Caylah volleyed the ball into the upper left corner of the box. It was the best goal I've seen in 10 years."
The Chiefs out shot Richland 10-7. Palmer had four saves for Moses Lake.
The Chiefs host the first round of the regional tournament Saturday. Their opponent was not determined by press time.