Three of the four NWAC East sides in the first round of the NWAC playoffs Wednesday evening advanced to Saturday's quarterfinals against the divisional winners. The Spokane women and Columbia Basin men took care of business at home. On the road road, the North Idaho ladies came up short in overtime, but Walla Walla dismissed 10-1-4 powerhouse Peninsula on their home turf.
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Visitor -- Home >> Winner's Saturday Opponent / Host
N3 Skagit Valley 1-5 E2 Spokane >> W1 Highline
The Sasquatch got things going early with a long ball from Grace Ellis (Spokane, WA) in the seventh allowing Cheris Brown (Spokane, WA), with a challenging defender, to chip the onrushing keeper for the opener. The floodgates opened in the 33rd minute. Sydney Clements (Spokane, WA) scored the first of two consecutive on a ball from Brown and then via Alli Smeltzer (Spokane, WA) seven minutes later just as her sub was waiting on the sideline. Brown capped the half with her second in the 42nd courtesy of Riley Couch (Sandpoint, ID). As the storm clouds rolled in the game went into a lull in the second half that was slowed further by injury stoppages for each side. The visitors, though, tallied on a scrum in the six off a lengthy free kick from midfield at the touchline. Mollie Burton got the finish in the 77th. Then with just seconds remaining a follow-up opportunity on a corner was looped over a sea of players in the middle of the box off the keeper's punch by Smeltzer.
FINAL Skagit Valley 1-5 Spokane; Smelzer with this tally in final seconds @BigfootSoccer @NWACSports pic.twitter.com/AoK69UWwdk— Gerald Barnhart (@INWsoccernews) November 1, 2017
E3 North Idaho 0-1 OT N2 Whatcom >> S1 Clark
In a tight contest that saw just 11 shots, six on target, between the two sides, it was just 96 seconds into overtime that the hosts found the game-winner. NIC goalkeeper Kinzie Hunter had made four saves until that point.
S3 Clackamas 0-1 OT W2 Tacoma >> E1 Walla Walla
Despite outshooting Clackamas 21-4, Tacoma would not find its game-winner until the 95th minute courtesy of Isabelle Creighton.
W3 Lower Columbia 1-3 S2 Lane >> N1 Peninsula
The Titans scored in the opening minute via Gwyn Anderson. Callie Lambert tallied the first of two in the ninth and, after a Kayla Willis goal for Lower Columbia in the 20th, the final int he 28th. Danielle VanOrnd set up both Lambert strikes.
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N3 Everett 1-2 E2 Columbia Basin >> W1 Highline
The Hawks broke a lengthy stalemate in the 52nd minute when Israel Gonzalez (Grandview, WA) scored on an assist from Victor Valencia (Grandview, WA). They doubled the advantage 10 minutes later through Jesus Delgado (Yakima, WA) on an assist from Benjamin Paniagua (Yakima, WA). It proved to be the winner with the Trojans getting on the board through Siloe Galvan in the 75th.
E3 Walla Walla 1-0 N2 Peninsula >> S1 Portland
Freddy Rodriguez (Hermiston, OR) scored the lone goal at the half-hour mark for the Warriors on an assist from Victor Sanchez (Mountain Home, ID). It was the team's lone shot on goal of three overall as Peninsula outshot the Warriors 14-3 in the contest. Jorge Llerenas (Pasco, WA) made nine saves for the shutout.
S3 Clark 0-3 W2 Tacoma >> E1 Spokane
The two were locked in a stalemate until Tacoma busted loose with three goals in the final 17 minutes from three different players. Bubacar Touray scored in the 73rd and then Duvan Vaca-Trujillo set up the next two back-to-back from Kyle Rivers and Tresor Kadima in the 88th and 90th minutes. Hunter Bowman registered the shutout.
W3 Pierce 4-0 S2 Rogue >> N1 Whatcom
Christian Gomez scored the first for Pierce int eh 13th minute and Tyler Wood made it two before the break with a goal in the 37th via Austin Stafford. Wood added a second on an assist from Guzman in the 73rd minute and Stafford tallied seven minutes later. Alek Greenleaf recorded the shutout.
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