Bulldogs dominate Stevi

WHITEFISH - The situation called for a little bit of a pep talk.

It was halftime of Saturday's Class A first-round soccer playoff match and the Whitefish Bulldog girls soccer team had spent all but a few minutes on Stevensville's end of the field.

But the score was still tied at nil.

Whitefish coach Erin Morrison gathered the Bulldogs and told them "don't make this your last game. Come out hard and let's get some goals. You've got to play with no regret," she said.

The goals came, just as Morrison knew they would, and the Bulldogs defeated the Yellowjackets 2-0 to advance to the Class A semifinal.

The stats show the level of domination - Whitefish had 43 shots on goal. Stevensville had three. Stevensville goalie Anna Tom worked hard all afternoon. She finished with 20 saves. The ball was on Whitefish's end so rarely that Bulldog keepers Madisen Cross and Callie Marsh only had three saves between them.

The Bulldogs will now host Belgrade this week. The Panthers defeated Missoula Loyola 7-0 on Saturday.

"We had 26 shots in the first half," Morrison said. "We dominated. We controlled it. But ... I think the team did well. We didn't panic. We didn't stress. We just knew we had to get some to go in - and they were going to go in. We were pretty confident the whole time.

"The team as a whole, they weren't nervous or frantic. I was a little frantic," she smiled.

"We had a lot of shots, but I think we knew we were going to get it," said senior forward Presley Pritchard.

"We were so close. You just have to keep on believing that you are going to get it. We did well, passing it around and we tired them out," she said.

Natalie Gayner scored Whitefish's first goal in the 55th minute on an assist from Pritchard.

"I pretty much was just taking the ball up the field. I saw Natalie across so I just took it up as far as I could, then crossed to Natalie. She put it in the back of the net. It was awesome," Pritchard said.

The relief of the first goal was evident.

"Once they started getting in, then you feel a little bit better," Morrison smiled.

"We were freaking out, screaming and hugging each other," Pritchard said.

"Usually when we get a goal, we all get really pumped up, then we score more and more and more. Everybody ups their game," Pritchard said.

Pritchard did the honors herself for the Bulldogs' second goal - in the 65th minute. Mackenzie Thomas had the assist there.

"They passed really well. Sam Dittman and Lottie Kamarath did great in the middle. I thought we made them work harder," Morrison said.

"Overall, (Stevensville) put up a good fight. But I feel like we possessed it. We had composure throughout the game and that's what got us the win in the end," she said.

"We just knew ... take it down the line, cross it back in. (The goals) would come," she added.

Stevensville 0 0 - 0

Whitefish 0 2 - 2

W - Natalie Gayner (assist Presley Pritchard), 55:00

W - Presley Pritchard (assist Mackenzie Thomas), 65:00

Shots on goal: Stevensville 3, Whitefish 43.

Saves: Stevensville 20 (Anna Tom), Whitefish 3 (Madisen Cross 1, Callie Marsh 2).

Cornerkicks: Stevensville 2, Whitefish 3.

Fouls: Stevensville 1, Whitefish 1.