Soccer tie shootout

Photo by Paul Robeson

MUDDY KICK: West Valley goalie Hannah Emmen blocks a ball from going into the net at the Eagles Cubs match on Jan. 24 in ARP.

On Jan. 24, it was windy and raining at Anderson River Park. Never the less, West Valley and Anderson soccer team members along with the officials braved the elements. Coaches and other soccer team members tried to huddle around propane space heaters under tarpaulin shelters. Spectators sat in their cars in the parking lot or under umbrellas around the wet and muddy field for an exciting game that ended in a 1-1 tie.

Ties count toward league standings, but the shootouts are used as tiebreakers when the season comes down to the end.

Anderson scored first when Anderson’s Yui Gabriele’s shot hit goal bar and went into the mud. Bethany Dunlap then kicked it into the net. In the second half, West Valley’s Jorday Kelly put the ball past Anderson’s goalie Dana Dayton, with the goal to tie the game. Players were coming out from the shelters for penalty kicks.

The shootout began.

West Valley goalie Hannah Emmen, covered from head to foot in mud, blocked a shot from Anderson’s Jennifer Haney to end the shootout 5-4 for West Valley.

Anderson had made their first three attempts before Emmen blocked a shot from Gabriele in the fourth round. Cassie DeBonis gave the Eagles a 4-3, then Anderson’s Bethany Dunlap kick put the shootout into an extra round. After Felisa Ortiz, Emmen came up with the last stop.

West Valley in now 1-2-3 in league play with three wins, three ties and three loses total as Anderson has a 1-2-2 league and 3-3-2 overall. West Valley, Anderson and Corning are battling for third place in the Northern Athletic League.