Wolverines clinch first-ever state tourney berth in overtime win | Girls soccer

With the victory, the Wolverines (13-4) punched their ticket to the Division 2B state tournament and collected their ninth consecutive victory, thanks in large part to three timely saves by goalkeeper Hayden Mayer.

The defense proved sturdy enough when it mattered most, as the Friday Harbor girls soccer team clinched its first-ever appearance at State with a 2-1 victory over Mount Rainier Lutheran, Wednesday, at in sudden death.

In a playoff contest in which the losing team would be eliminated from post-season play, the Wolverines and Hawks went into overtime with the score tied 1-1 at the end of regulation.

Team captain Kaitlyn Domenech and Hannah Hopkins each drilled the ball past the Hawks defense to give Friday Harbor the advantage in the best-of-five shootout, but it was three saves by goalkeeper Hayden Mayer that sealed the victory and sent the Wolverines off onto their maiden voyage at the 2B state tournament.

“More than the winning goals, I’d say this win had to do with the winning saves,” Coach Paul Hopkins said. “Hayden had a great game.”

With the victory, the Wolverines (13-4) punched their ticket to the Division 2B state tournament and collected their ninth consecutive victory. They face a high-scoring, perennially playoff bound club from Crosspoint High School, the defending 2B state champ, in a state tournament seeding game, Saturday, Saturday, Nov. 8, at Interlake High School, at 3 p.m.

Hopkins expects Crosspoint could prove to be the toughest challenge of the season for the Wolverines.

“They’re a scoring machine,” he said. “They rarely score under six goals and it doesn’t seem to matter who they play.”

Win, lose or draw in their matchup against the Warriors (12-2-1), the Wolverines will open state-tournament play either Thursday, Friday or Saturday, Nov. 13-15, against a yet-to-be-determined opponent and location that has yet to be determined as well (Oak Harbor or Mount Vernon are likely locations for the tournament opener).