Moses Lake eliminated from postseason by West Valley

YAKIMA — Moses Lake head coach Ric Char called it the game of Abigail Rosenow’s life.

The junior goalie, in just her second season at the position, made 11 saves and kept two-time consecutive state runner-up West Valley at bay for 90 minutes.

However, the 1-1 tie went to a shootout and West Valley’s experience won out. The Rams sunk all four of their attempts and senior goalie Megan Lee made two saves to send the Chiefs home one win shy of the state tournament for the second season in a row, 2-1.

“She (Rosenow) had a great game,” Char said. “She kept us in it. There’s nothing more you can ask out of a goalkeeper, to keep your team in the game. It’s the hardest position to be because there’s so much pressure. I think she did awesome. I’m so thankful she’s a junior.”

Moses Lake worked its way back into Saturday’s winner-to-state game with wins over Sunnyside and Eastmont. West Valley, conversely, had come off a loss in the District 6 championship to Wenatchee 2-1.

The difference in demeanor showed early in the game.

Madi Krogh received a pass from Kennady Schlagel, shrugged off a defender and put a shot on goal in the midst of falling that slid into the bottom left corner in the ninth minute.

That 1-0 advantage stood up through the first half, but West Valley started to push near intermission and continued at the beginning of the final 40 minutes.

Halley Marschall placed a perfect free kick to Kendall Sharp who one-touched the pass into the net in the 45th minute, tying the game.

Moses Lake had a few more chances to regain the lead in regulation or win the game in overtime.

Abby Rathbun got her head on a corner kick from Morgan Skone in the 51st minute, but the ball sailed just over the crossbar. Late in regulation, a rebounded corner kick was pushed out to Christina Mullan who had her shot saved by Lee.

In the first overtime, Cora Bruneel freed herself up the left sideline and put a shot on goal that sailed wide of the far post.

“The soccer gods weren’t on our side today,” Char said. “That’s usually what it comes down to. We had 31 shots against Sunnyside and two go in. It’s a game of odds and numbers. We’re just fortunate enough to have those opportunities and goal-scoring chances against a two-time state runner-up because last year we would get less than half of those chances, if that.”

As opposed to last year’s game against Wenatchee with no seniors on the varsity roster, post-game Saturday was somber for seniors Erin Manly, Schlagel, Caitlyn Loyd, Halle Davis, Jocelyn Rataezyk, Bruneel, Mullan, Sam Waites and Rathbun.

Manly, Bruneel and Rathbun were all captains. Rathbun was a four-year varsity starter that was on the last Moses Lake team to reach the state tournament in 2014.

“Today was for the girls more than it was for me,” she said. “I’m not playing soccer anymore, but I’m not done playing. I’ve got basketball season and I’ve got four or five more years of college that I’m going to be playing so, I mean, it’s not completely over for me so today it was definitely for my girls.”

First half — 1, ML, Krogh (Schlagel), 9:00

Second half — 2, WV, Sharp (Marschall), 45:00

Shootout — WV, Anna Hager, Jordan Karnes, Shannon Curtis, Lexi Maison; ML, Denali Knowles, Morgan Skone