2011 State Soccer Tournament Girls 2A Semifinal; Burnsville vs Centennial

Mall of America Field (Metrodome)

Burnsville  5-2  Centennial

Two unseeded teams met in the first 2A Girls’ Minnesota State High School semifinal: Burnsville (17-4-0) and Centennial (17-2-2). These two teams met in their first game of the season when Centennial won 5-3. This time around Burnsville would come out ahead by a similar margin.

In the opening minutes of the half Burnsville sophomore Alyssa Blahnik and Centennial junior Jenna Roering began what may have been expected to be an offensive battle from two of the top 5 scorers in the state exchanging shots on goal, but neither could find the back of the net until Blahnik scored a goal from distance. In the 22nd minute Blahnik drove home a low shot from near the top of the penalty box. Less than a minute later Blahnik would make it 2-0 from a header inside the box. Both goals were assisted by sophomore Abby Soderholm.

Not to be out-done Roering, who had just gotten back from a Women’s U18 training camp, made an attacking run with the ball down the right side of the field then cut across to the left. Roering tried to set up a shot inside the box, but her defender stuffed her attempt. “[Roering] is a spectacular forward and we had her man-marked by Natalie Muench, our stopper. She hounded her well today and did a great job,” praised Burnsville coach John Soderholm. Roering did earn a corner kick for her troubles which she sent into the box and found the head of senior Megan Lenz who put the ball just inside the far post to cut Burnsville’s lead by one.

Before the end of the half, Burnsville would add two more goals to make it 4-1. In the 32^nd minute Alyssa collected the ball on the left side of the box and sent in a low cross into the path of junior Tiana Khamvongsa who hit the ball in stride beating the keeper and bouncing in off the far post. A few minutes later Khamvongsa would repay the favor sending a through ball on the ground to Blahnik who slipped the ball past the rushing keeper to earn a hat-trick in the first half. “We kept emphasizing to keep the ball on the ground,” said Coach Soderholm. “We connected our central midfielders with our forwards playing to the feet.”

At the start of the second half Burnsville continued to control the game with their tight passing. 30 seconds into the half Soderholm added a goal to her two assists. Soderholm was able to beat Centennial senior keeper Kristi Lilja at the near post after collecting the ball in the 6 yard box from Blahnik. With that goal Blahnik, Soderholm, and Khamvongsa combined in some form for all of Burnsville’s five goals. With Khamvongsa being the oldest of the trio as a junior, coach Soderholm is expecting even better play next year.

In the 62nd minute Roering would finally get a goal after collecting a through ball from Shelby Axt and running towards goal. When Roering entered the box she calmly slotted the ball to the left of freshmen keeper Darby Lofthus who had been subbed in during the second half. “She’s a very gifted athlete. We were happy to do as well against her as we did,” admitted Coach Soderholm.