The Crusaders held their nerve at the end of Saturday’s Upper Lake Tournament championship game.
Less than 24 hours after getting the better of league rival Ferndale in the semifinals and handing the Wildcats their first loss of the year, the Crusaders knocked off another unbeaten team in the final, beating Clear Lake 4-3 on penalty kicks after a scoreless showdown.
The win was the fifth in five games for the resurgent SB girls, who feature multiple freshmen in their lineup, all of whom continue to play beyond their years.
Also in action in the tournament on Saturday, the Ferndale girls bounced back from Friday’s loss with a 1-0 win over Lower Lake in the tournament third-place game.
Teresa Catana scored the only goal of that game off an assist form teammate Macie Hagemann.
With the win, the Cats improved to 4-1.
Two of the young St. Bernard’s players — Kate Bailey and Preslee Sundquist — netted penalties in the shootout, but it was the composed play of sophomore net minder Kaitlyn Amis that really sealed the deal.
The young Amis, who has gained a reputation of stopping penalties, saved three of Clear Lake’s six penalty kicks to help secure the tournament title.
“I can’t mention my keeper enough,” Brandon Amis said. “I knew when we got to penalties we were in good hands She’s got ice water in her veins when it comes to PK shots.”
While the young Amis was making the saves, her teammates were making sure they counted by scoring on their attempts, with Malia Masayos and Carli Baum each scoring, along with Bailey and Sundquist.
Baum also stepped in to face a penalty kick late in regulation after Kaitlyn Amis received a yellow card and had to leave the field momentarily.
But Clear Lake would miss on the opportunity.
The Crusaders started slow and failed to reach the levels they showed in Friday’s semifinal win for the first half.
“We came out slow and disorganized in the first half,” the coach said. “And they came out and they played fast and had us on our heels for the entirety of the first half.
“The difference in the second half is our team started playing in their positions and organized and maintaining possession.”
The Crusaders had their opportunities to break the deadlock in the second half but failed to capitalize on their opportunities.
The defense also “stepped up huge, according to the coach, much as they have been doing through the early season, posting a third shutout in five games.
Kaitlyn Amis and the Crusaders have allowed just two goals in those games.
Next up, the SB girl will continue their preparation for league play when they travel to Arcata on Tuesday afternoon.
