Moses Lake freshman Natalie Bunch scores game-winner against Wenatchee

MOSES LAKE — It was double overtime against the reigning district champions.

So, of course, freshman Natalie Bunch was the natural choice to play hero, right?

Morgan Skone lined up for a free kick in the dregs of double overtime and let loose a shot that ricocheted off Wenatchee’s wall, allowing Bunch time for a couple extra steps to poke the ball into the net.

Golden goal. Start the celebration.

“She’s had a couple game-winners already as a freshman and she’s an outstanding player,” head coach Ric Char said. “She puts the time and work in.”

The 1-0 win moved Moses Lake to 2-1 in Columbia Basin Big Nine (CBBN) play — one win behind the league-leading Panthers. Thursday’s victory was crucial was five teams in the CBBN sit with one loss.

It felt like the game wouldn’t need overtime, let alone two, as numerous chances from Moses Lake shooters traveled wide or were saved. Skone had a left-footed shot skid wide right in the 19th minute and another saved in the 30th.

“We had a lot of chances and we were just waiting for them to go in,” she said. “We could feel the momentum was on our side and we just had them the whole time.”

That momentum eventually led to results after about 89-ish minutes.

Char subbed in Bunch right before Skone’s free kick during stoppage time – a gamble that paid off in bunches.

“Madi (Krogh) was getting a little tired and exhausted because she’s been running all game and just figuring I’d put in a brand new rookie in baseball in the bottom of the ninth and that’s what I did.”

Abbigail Rosenow kept the idea of overtime intact after diving to save a shot by Wenatchee’s Kate Springer in the 69th minute. Rosenow also helped clear a final free kick at the end of regulation, allowing for the double overtime thriller.

“Soccer Gods were looking down on us tonight and we got the one so I appreciate it,” Char said.

Scoring

ML — 0 0 0 1 1

W — 0 0 0 0 0

2OT: 1, ML, Natalie Bunch (Morgan Skone) 89:00.