Wildkats take out Corvallis 6-3

COLUMBIA FALLS — Hope McAtee scored three goals in the Columbia Falls Wildkats 6-3 victory over the Corvallis Blue Devils Saturday, but her last goal was the most impressive.

McAtee shot the ball from an impossibly sharp angle from outside the box. It seemed likely the ball would hit the post but instead it sailed in behind the Corvallis keeper.

“Big time players make big time plays,” Wildkats coach Thomas Clark said.

The goal was the cherry on top of an already decisive State A quarterfinal win that advanced the Wildkats to the semifinals.

The first half was marked by Sydney Mann’s goal in the 15th minute but the lead was short lived – Corvallis’s Sydney Wolsky tied it up a minute later.

McAtee gave the Wildkats some insurance by scoring twice three minutes apart just before halftime.

Corvallis got as close as 3-2 off Elsa Miller’s goal in the 49th minute. Wolsky would score again on a late penalty kick but Josie Harris and Tayler Lingle had goals in between and led 5-3 before McAtee’s hat trick goal.

A scary moment preceded Harris’s goal: Mann drove to the net and collided with the Corvallis keeper and a defender. The ball came loose and Harris scored the rebound. Everyone involved was none the worse for wear, but the Blue Devils keeper came out for the rest of the game.

“Every one of our attacking players contributed today and that'll get it done,” Clark said. “And I didn't even think we finished very well today, so I told the team, you know when you're a team that can finish poorly and still score six goals, that's pretty cool. Anyway, it's great to be in the semis.”

Columbia Falls keeper Zoey Byrd had nine saves.

McAtee also had an assist on Mann’s first goal. Mann had two assists.

The Wildkats travel to Billings to take on the Billings Central Rams on Saturday.

Corvallis 1 2 – 3

Columbia Falls 2 4 – 6

CF - Sydney Mann (Hope McAtee) 15:00

Corvallis - Sydney Wolsky (Rylee Hebstritt) 16:00

CF - McAtee 34:00

CF- McAtee (Mann) 37:00

Corvallis - Elsa Miller (Abi Buoy) 49:00

CF - Josie Harris (Mann) 73:00

CF - Tayler Lingle (Kyra Bruner) 77:00

Corvallis - Wolsky 77:00

CF - McAtee (Lingle) 78:00

Shots – Corvallis 6, CF 17; Goalie saves – Corvallis 21 (Kaitlin McCartney), CF 9 (Zoey Byrd); Fouls – Corvallis 13, CF 12.