Edina controlled play from the opening kickoff Wednesday to defeat Centennial 4-0 in the quarterfinals of the Class 3A girls' soccer state tournament at White Bear Lake High School.
Edina allows Centennial little chance in Class 3A girls' soccer quarterfinal
The Hornets' Izzy Engle scored four goals, three in the first half, and the defense yielded nothing.
Izzy Engle scored three goals in the first half for the fifth-seeded Hornets (15-4-1). Her first goal came 2 minutes, 42 seconds into the game. It took her just 6:09 to get goal No. 2. She completed the hat trick with 5:35 left in the first half. She scored again with 35:53 to play, with a shot off the far post on the goalkeeper's right.
"It's the best feeling. We feel on top of the world right now," Engle said. "We have so much momentum and we cannot be more excited."
The Cougars (14-3) didn't threaten to score until the Hornets were called for a hand ball in the box with 12:15 left in the first half. Junior Marisa Frost took the penalty kick, but her low shot just inside the post was deflected wide of the goal by Hornets goalkeeper Sydney Bakritzes.
"That was huge," Engle said. "I know we were winning 3-0, but one goal for them makes it a two-goal game. We all know two-goal games are never safe. It was really important for her to save that."
Isabella Walker had two assists for the Hornets, who are back at state a year after their undefeated season ended with an upset loss to Stillwater in the state semifinals.
The fourth-seeded Cougars had just the one scoring chance in the first half and only a couple of other opportunities, late in the game. All-state forward Addi Van Zee was neutralized.
"Our defense was incredible," Edina coach Katie Aafedt said. "Their best player is their all-state forward. You can tell she is really good. Our defense did an incredible job shutting her down and not allowing them to get going."
JOE GUNTHER
Rosemount 2, St. Michael-Albertville 1: Junior Sydney Gilbertson scored on a header after taking a header from a teammate on a throw-in during the second half, giving the second-ranked Irish (19-1-0) a victory over the Knights (8-8-4) in Irondale. The teams traded goals in the opening half with Olivia Bohl scoring for Rosemount and Hannah Kvant countering for St. Michael-Albertville.
Class 2A
Mahtomedi 5, Winona 1: Junior midfielder Lauren Coy and senior forward Katelyn Beulke scored in the final two minutes of the first half, breaking open a tight game as the No. 1-ranked Zephyrs (17-2-0) took a three-goal lead into halftime in Farmington. Coy scored the first two goals, and Beulke also had an assist in the first half. Junior forward Kaitlyn Moltzan and senior midfielder Lily Lindquist added second-half goals for the Zephyrs.
Class 1A
Providence Academy 6, St. Cloud Cathedral 1: Freshman forward Maddyn Greenway and junior midfielder Avery Lampe had hat tricks for the second-ranked Lions (17-3-0) in a victory at Monticello. All six goals came in the first half as Providence Academy overwhelmed the Crusaders (12-4-3).
Six players plus head coach Garrett Raboin and assistant coach Ben Gordon are from Minnesota. The tournament’s games will be televised starting Monday.