Whitefish girls in state title game
NallyMadigan saves 11 shots as Bulldogs beat Corvallis 2-1 in Class A semifinal
WHITEFISH - Kirstin NallyMadigan did more than save 11 shots for the Lady Dogs soccer team, she saved her team's season.
Corvallis controlled most of the game, but in the end Whitefish managed to put more balls in the net and won 2-1 Saturday at Smith Field.
The Lady Dogs move on to the state A championship match next Saturday versus Belgrade. Whitefish will host the game, but details haven't been worked out yet.
Whitefish, coming off a dramatic shootout win last week, entered the game missing two key players at midfield. Captain Jen Joern is out for the season due to injury along with Hannah Long. Long should be ready to go next weekend.
The Blue Devils came out firing, and the team earned six corner kicks in the first half. Corvallis' first corner kick resulted in a scramble in front of the net. Two Blue Devil players tried shots, but NallyMadigan made a diving save to deny the score.
"I wasn't so nervous this week," NallyMadigan said. "We were more confident. We played for Jen and Hannah."
Whitefish only had two real chances to score in the first half, once when Alex White missed high and right on a breakaway shot and another when Carly Lengstorf slammed into Corvallis' keeper at the top of the box. Lengstorf lost the ball, and the goalie covered it up.
The Lady Dogs did manage to put some pressure on Corvallis near the end of the first half, but the game was far from a clinic on efficient soccer.
The second half began much like the first with the Blue Devils forcing NallyMadigan to make great saves and with Whitefish struggling to do anything offensively.
At the 64-minute mark Whitefish's offense began clicking. Kari Rounds sent a perfect pass to Lengstorf, who outmaneuvered Corvallis keeper Michele Henson and rolled her shot into the middle of the net.
Whitefish loosened up after the score and gained control of the game. Eight minutes later, Sarah Clark set up White for an insurance goal to seal the win.
Corvallis didn't give up and tried to make a comeback. Blue Devil forward Ashley Gates scored at the 76-minute mark on a long shot outside the box. The ball went high and just nicked the top post as it went in.
This season, Whitefish has had a tendency to let down after scoring and has allowed teams to get back in the game.
"We seem to fall apart a bit after we score," Whitefish coach Lini Reading said. "That's a stat we'd like to change."
When time ran out, the Lady Dogs knew the game could have gone either way.
"I'm feeling a little bit lucky right now," Reading said. "We were outplayed at times."
Whitefish will play the winner of Saturday's Hamilton-Belgrade match. The Lady Dogs tied Belgrade earlier in the season and lost to Hamilton.
"We're ready for both," NallyMadigan said.
Lady Bulldogs 2, Blue Devils 1
Corvallis 0 1 - 1
Whitefish 0 2 - 2
Corvallis - 76:00 Ashley Gates
Whitefish - 66:00 Carly Lengstorf (Kari Rounds), 74:00 Alex White (Sarah Clark)
Shots on goal - Corvallis 13, Whitefish 15
Goal saves - Corvallis 11 (Michele Henson), Whitefish 11 (Kirstin NallyMadigan)
Corner kicks - Corvallis 8, Whitefish 3
Fouls - Corvallis 4, Whitefish 9
Cards - None