Liberty Bell’s Marit Nelson headed a corner kick away from the Mountain Lions’ goal against Pateros.
The Mountain Lions girls’ soccer team kicked off perhaps the busiest week of the season last Tuesday (Oct. 24) with a senior night victory over the Manson Trojans, 5-2. Sophomore Marit Nelson scored another hat trick with three more goals, Anna Liebe scored her first goal of the season and Lilly Belcher, finally back on the pitch after a month off in the concussion protocol scored off of a Nelson assist to tally her first goal of the season.
Liberty Bell controlled this match from the start, forcing the ball into Manson territory, controlling it with good ball control passing, and applying frequent pressure on the Trojan goal throughout the contest.
The Mountain Lions paid tribute to their one graduating senior, defender Gabby Studen. The two-sport athlete, who runs track in the spring, said that she has really enjoyed her time with the soccer team, playing each of her high school years.
It was off to Pateros on Thursday to take on the Nannies for the third time this year. Back in September the Mountain Lions prevailed in an epic, double-overtime to shootout contest that saw Liberty escape with a victory. Pateros got revenge in a 4-0 drubbing of the local girls two weeks ago.
But, that was then, the playoffs are the now, and the Mountain Lions on Tuesday were totally in the “now,” shutting down the Pateros attack to end their season with a 3-1 win in the first round of the District 6 post-season. Belcher tallied two goals, Nelson one and the girls played solid defense and steady ball control.
“We played like I knew we could play,” said coach Katie Overbeck. “That last game [referring to the 4-0 loss a week earlier] was Thursday of Homecoming Week and we were tired from all the stuff. The girls played powder puff the night before, and all the activities, they were just drained. Having the weekend to rest up was huge.”
Nelson had the lone goal in a 4-1 second-round loss at Tonasket at the hands of the Tigers. Tonasket scored in the first 10 minutes and Liberty Bell followed with a goal within two minutes.
Tonasket added two goals before the break, sending the teams to halftime with a 3-1 lead for the No. 6-ranked Tigers. The second half was a defensive struggle, with Tonasket scoring the lone goal of the final period to win 4-1.
Liberty Bell goalkeeper Cassidy Jones-Mowen was stellar, stopping a Tiger onslaught of 20 some shots on goal.
“The girls played a game they can be proud of,” said Overbeck. “They put Tonasket on their heels several times.”
They got another chance to pick up a win on Tuesday at Brewster. The match kicked off after the News headed for the printer. The match is a loser-out game, the winner moving on to the District 6-7 crossover this Friday (Nov. 3).
