By Quint Turner

The Lady Mavs soccer team made it to the semifinals of the state tournament before they ran into last year’s champs, the Seattle Prep Panthers. The Panthers came out with a 2-0 lead before Emily Crichlow knocked in a low cross to make it 2-1, but the Mavs were unable to get another goal in the last 25 minutes in order to tie. With the loss, Meadowdale had its 12-game winning streak snapped. Panther Jenay McAuley got two assists on the goals by Mary Ann Santucci and Kalynn Heubner.

Seattle Prep controlled the majority of the first half. They had a chance off a throw-in by McAuley that sailed just wide of the MHS goal. A little later, Kendall Ruggles got off a shot from the corner of the box that was stopped by Ashley Routh. In the 22nd minute, Sara Coluccio took a bouncing shot about 20 yards out that was also easily stopped by Routh. After possessing the ball much of the first half, the Panthers finally broke through in the 31st minute. McAuley sent a low cross through the middle of the box that was knocked home by Santucci to make it 1-0.

Meadowdale had its only real chance with a minute left in the half when Alisa Sagdahl sent a low cross that was saved by goalkeeper Abby Rockwell, which preserved the 1-0 lead until halftime.

The start of the half had a few injuries for the Mavericks. Coluccio got a breakaway after juking out Maverick defender Alexa Thompson; Coluccio’s shot was saved, but in more important news to the Mavs, Thompson was injured and would not return to the game. A few minutes later, Rosalyn Stapleton went up for a 50/50 ball to head it upfield when Gio Plater also went up late; Plater collided when Stapleton, and Stapleton was injured as well. Thankfully, she would be able to stay in the game. In the 50^th minute (one minute after the Stapleton injury), a thro- in by McAuley went into the 6-yard box, and was headed in by Heubner to make it 2-0.

Meadowdale finally got on the board when they drew a free kick 40 yards away from the Panthers net; Hannah Shouse took the kick that went to Sagdahl in the box. Sagdahl hit a low cross to Crichlow, who one-timed it home to make it 2-1. The Mavs caught a lucky break when a throw-in by McAuley was hit off the post by a Panther forward, which would’ve made it 3-1. Sadly, the Mavs could not get another by Rockwell, even a last ditch shot by Kearstin Franco with one minute left was easily stopped.

With the loss, the Mavericks will play for third or fourth place against Eastside Catholic at 10 a.m. while Seattle Prep will meet Liberty.

Sports correspondent Quint Turner is a sophomore at Meadowdale High School.