PR Sports

CALDWELL — A fatigued Hillcrest girls soccer team struggled early and eventually fell 6-1 to Sandpoint in the Class 4-A girls state soccer tournament semifinals Friday afternoon.

After winning a breath-taking 2-1 double overtime thriller against Twin Falls on Thursday, the Hillcrest girls were tasked with beating a similarly tired team in Sandpoint. In the first round, Sandpoint pulled off the upset of the tournament in shocking previously unbeaten Bishop Kelly in overtime, 3-2.

“I don’t think we came out as much flat as we were just fatigued by our first game,” Hillcrest coach Dave Coffman said. “We were gassed-but that’s not to take anything away from Sandpoint. They are an impressive team.”

Though disappointed and dismayed by the result, Coffman couldn’t help but be impressed with the way Sandpoint methodically beat Hillcrest.

Sandpoint got the scoring started in the sixth minute when Meghan Pagano finished to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead.

In the 23rd minute, Alicia Mertz pushed the lead to 2-0 before Elli Engel’s goal gave Sandpoint a 3-0 halftime lead.

Playing with a little more focus and determination, Hillcrest avoided the shutout and trimmed the deficit to 3-1 on a goal by Shayleen Crank in the 56th minute.

Then Sandpoint put the game away by scoring three times in the game’s final 14 minute on goals by Nichole Pagano, Savannah Engel and Mertz.

Sandpoint had 22 shots on goal to just four for Hillcrest.

Hillcrest (10-8-2) can still take home third place with a victory over Skyview in the third place game at 11:45 a.m. today.

By Jason Chatraw
prsports@postregister.com