Five first-half goals send Ephrata to district semis
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Ephrata midfielder Katelyn Ostrowski (4) shoots and scores past Grandview goalie Anabel Pallares.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Ephrata forward Mya Spencer takes a shot against Grandview.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Ephrata defender Kendall Kemp (9) fights for the ball against Grandview midfielder Guadalupe Ramos.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Ephrata forward Bekah Schmuck gathers the ball in front of Ephrata’s coaching staff Tuesday against Grandview.
Ephrata — In a year with a little less parity, Ephrata would not have been in the position it was in on Tuesday.
Central Washington Athletic Conference league champions are not typically relegated to the loser-out first round of the district playoffs. However, the Tigers had to share league champion honors with three other teams this season and were squeezed out of the top two due to head-to-head results.
No matter.
Ephrata scored five first-half goals and bounced Grandview from the postseason 5-2.
“I think we came in knowing that they were going to fight and we just wanted to come out blazing,” midfielder Katelyn Ostrowski said.
Blazing is an apt description, as Mya Spencer took advantage of an aggressive play by Grandview goalie Anabel Pallares in the third minute. Pallares left the goal-box, but misplayed the ball, leaving a wide open net for Spencer who scored easily.
The pressures of an elimination game lessened after Spencer's strike.
“It always does when you get one in because it seems to kind of open up the door and the door stays open instead of trying to crack at it the whole game and near misses and that sort of stuff,” head coach Hillary Coomes said. “The second one actually feels more comfortable and more like you can have room to breath.”
Coomes had to wait some time for that extra breathing room, but she received plenty from the 20-minute mark until halftime.
Ostrowski was given just enough room to score her first goal in the 20th minute when Pallares slipped on the grass field. Two minutes later, Ostrowski cleaned up a blocked shot by Spencer for her second goal of the evening.
“At the beginning of the game I noticed they were shifting far over so I was like I'm going to stay out more and see if I can get a couple off the opposite side,” Ostrowski said.
Grandview had difficulty defending Ephrata's second attacker throughout the first 40 minutes. In the 31st minute, Corinna Cole dribbled far down the right sideline and took a shot that was saved by Pallares. But midfielder Amidy Gallagher stood unmarked directly in front of the goal in a prime position to score off the rebound.
“We want them to follow in and follow the shots, but up until this point we've never been able to capitalize on those objectives,” Coomes said. “You want the girls to press and keep pressing all the way until the end. Until the ball's either out or in the back of the net.”
Cole capped the first-half flurry with a deft pass to Christa Crago, who one-touched the ball past Pallares.
Crystal Jacobo and Aressa Trevino scored for the Greyhounds in the second half.
Ephrata will travel to Ellensburg on Thursday for a 3:30 p.m. district semifinal game.
“It's going to be a tough game, but we're ready for it for sure,” Ostrowski said.