Team effort pushes Moses Lake past Eastmont 1-0

Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Action from Tuesday’s district tournament game between Moses Lake and Eastmont at Lions Field.

Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Action from Tuesday's district tournament game between Moses Lake and Eastmont at Lions Field.

by CONNOR VANDERWEYST
Staff Writer | November 2, 2016 1:00 AM

Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Action from Tuesday's district tournament game between Moses Lake and Eastmont at Lions Field.

MOSES LAKE — Down to their third goalie, Cora Bruneel and Taya Rogers knew Moses Lake’s defense had to play exemplary if they wanted to keep playing soccer this season.

Abbigail Rosenow — already in for Erin Manley, who is recovering from a torn ACL from last season — injured her hand in pre-game.

Enter Lindsey Thompson.

“In the beginning of the game Taya and I looked at each other like, ‘Our job just got a lot harder because we have a JV goalie stepping up,’” Bruneel said. “We knew that we had to really stand our ground and protect that goal and not let it past us.”

The defense held up, Thompson made nine saves and Morgan Skone scored in the 57th minute to beat Eastmont 1-0.

The Chiefs had a few near misses in the first half before Skone gathered a pass from Summer Hallberg and found herself one-on-one with Eastmont goalie Kalea Bokma. Bokma left the goal box to contest and Skone was able to flick a shot past her for what ended up as the game-winning goal.

“I saw she (Hallberg) flicked it through and it was just an open goal and it just was so exciting when I scored,” Skone said. “I can’t describe the feeling. I’m just happy and I hope we can beat Wenatchee on Saturday and make our way to state.”

Eastmont made its push over the final 10 minutes, but was unable to mount a serious scoring threat against the Chiefs’ stout defenders.

“Maddy (Madelyn Balsz) was the player of the game today and she just had a heck of a game,” head coach Ric Char said. “Taya’s last two tackles in the deep corner — that was the game-winner I think. It kept them from scoring.”

Hallberg, who played a pinpoint ball to Skone for the lone goal, was a JV call-up like Thompson.

“She just has a great vision for the field and got one to Morgan,” Char said. “It was awesome.”

In the 14th minute, Moses Lake had an opportunity to take a lead when Kennady Schlagel was fouled in the box. However, Schlagel’s penalty kick attempt sailed high.

Another shot by Christina Mullan minutes before halftime was knocked down by Bokma right in front of the goal line.

Despite the missed opportunities that created the high drama, the Chiefs are happy to advance to a winner-to-state game at Wenatchee — who fell to West Valley 2-0 in the district championship game — this Saturday at 2 p.m.

“It just means so much because we didn’t make it past the first round last year,” Skone said. “It’s so exciting to be able to play the No. 2 and just keep moving on. I want to go to state so bad.”