Last year, the Juneau-Douglas High School girls soccer team was bounced from the state tournament by a first-round loss to a physical West Anchorage squad.
This year, they again ended their tournament against West, but on their own terms.
A back-and-forth draw earned the Crimson Bears rights to third place at the Alaska School Activities Association Soccer State Tournament on Saturday in Anchorage. Because consolation matches aren’t allowed to go into extra time, both teams were awarded third place.
Saturday’s match marked the last time seven JDHS senior girls would play together.
The girls lost to West last year in a game JDHS was “pushed around,” in Coach Matt Dusenberry’s words, losing 4-0. The seniors used the motivation of their last game together, against the team that had previously vanquished them, to pull off a comeback after West Anchorage went ahead 1-0 in the first half.
Dusenberry said it was his team’s best game all year, one that rewarded both fans and players alike.
“It was a heck of a game. A very exciting, fun for the fans kind of game,” Dusenberry said. “It was nice, especially to go out.”
West opened scoring with a header off a corner kick in the first half. Sophomore midfielder Malia Miller answered with a goal in the second half, only to see West Anchorage steal the lead back with a goal off a misfired JDHS clearance just minutes after Miller’s equalizer.
Sophomore Michaela Bentley then tied the game up with a free kick goal from the 23-yard line. Known for her free kick prowess, Bentley hit a screamer off the left post and in for the 2-2 tie.
“The second half was very physical, but we kept our composure,” Dusenberry said.
West retook the lead with six minutes left in the game, but when JDHS earned a free kick after Miller was fouled at the 45-yard line, Bentley again made the difference on the free kick.
“Michaela got under it, took the free kick and just drilled it into the box, passed everybody. I think both Malia (Miller) and Erika (Holst) were both there, and Malia taps it in passed the keeper for a 3-3 draw,” Dusenberry said.
The game had JDHS’ coach excited for the future of his program and happy his seniors went out with an exciting finish.
