Anfinson’s OT goal lifts Faith Lutheran to 5A girls soccer title — PHOTOS
Faith Lutheran’s Julia Anfinson knew the game wasn’t over if she didn’t convert her penalty kick in overtime Saturday.
She also knew she was the right player to end the game for the Crusaders.
Anfinson slipped her penalty kick inside the right post in the sixth minute of overtime to lift Faith Lutheran to a 1-0 win over Coronado in the Class 5A state girls soccer title game at Valley High.
“I just kind of set the ball down and I backed up, I took deep breaths and I just thought to myself, ‘I love this game, and no matter what happens on this PK, we still have time,’ ” Anfinson said. “I believed in my team and I also knew that I was confident in myself. I practice PKs all the time. I knew that I would put it away.”
The win gave the Crusaders (18-2) their second consecutive state title and their fourth in the last six state tournaments. There was no state tournament in 2020.
“This is great to us, especially because we have so many seniors graduating,” said Anfinson, a junior. “It’s really special that we could win it for them this year. And it feels good to be back-to-back state champs in this program. And to be part of the history that this program made is super incredible, and I’m really proud of everyone on the team.”
Both teams had plenty of chances in regulation, but neither team scored. The Crusaders cranked up the pressure in overtime, taking five shots in the first six minutes.
In the game’s 86th minute, Faith Lutheran’s Brianna Lee slipped a pass to Anfinson in the penalty box. A Coronado defender collided with Anfinson as she turned to get a shot off, and both players went to the ground. The referee called a foul on Coronado, setting up Anfinson’s winning PK.
Faith Lutheran coach Carl Cort said tight games like that often favor the team that controls possession and continues to move the ball quickly rather than firing quick shots to try to score the golden goal. He also said that’s easier said than done with a state title on the line.
“We were knocking on the door for a while, but in that stage of the game, it takes a lot of courage to do that, to get your foot on the ball and pass and move,” Cort said. “You know, a good quick bit of passing ended up getting us the penalty.”
The Crusaders had a flurry of scoring opportunities in the waning minutes of regulation, then came out in overtime and controlled possession from the start.
“Right when that overtime started we brought out the energy and everyone wanted it,” Anfinson said. “And you could tell, and we were flying at the end.”
Faith Lutheran goalkeeper Olivia Petty made five saves to get the shutout for the Crusaders, who were facing the Cougars in the title game for the fifth time in the past six state tournaments.
Coronado goalkeeper Lilian Foss did her best to keep the Cougars (18-2-1) in Saturday’s game, even after leaving for a spell in the first half after a collision in the box left her bloodied.
Foss quickly got cleaned up on the sideline and the team’s athletic trainer packed both nostrils to stop the bleeding. She finished with eight saves, including four in overtime, before Anfinson was able to freeze her on the penalty kick.
“I always thought if we kept our composure, we didn’t give up anything silly, the game was there to be won,” Cort said. “But it was a matter of trying to get across to (the players) for them to believe that, and they went out there and they kind of stepped up and they were able to get it done.”
