Crusaders rally to give senior shot at state title

MESQUITE — While running back on defense after scoring a game-tying goal, Maddy Courvoisier pointed to the Faith Lutheran girls soccer team’s bench with a message.

“Seanie, that’s for you!” Courvoisier shouted at injured teammate Seanie Petersen.

Courvoisier’s tying goal helped Faith Lutheran rally from a 2-0 halftime hole on the way to an emotional 5-2 win over Spring Creek in a Class 3A state semifinal game Friday night at the Mesquite Sports Complex.

South No. 1 seed Faith Lutheran (17-0) advanced to face North No. 1 Truckee (23-2) in the championship game at noon today.

“We were playing for the senior,” Faith Lutheran coach Dave Elliott said.

Petersen, the Crusaders’ only senior, injured an ankle and was unable to finish the game. The starting defender should be able to play today, Elliott said.

Kari Moloney, Sydney Spoon, Lauren Meyer and Jessica Nelson also scored goals for Faith Lutheran, which got assists from Carsen McBeath, Shauna Lee and Audrey Swanson.

The game was played in gusting winds that blew over trash cans on the sidelines.

The weather became key in the second half, Elliott said, when the Crusaders had the wind at their backs.

“One of the biggest factors in this game was the wind,” he said. “Our team, we pass very well.”

That they did, clumping together two quick goals in the first 15 minutes of the second half.

Brianna Hansen and Andrea Empey scored in the first half for Spring Creek.

Crusaders sophomore goalkeeper Marissa Fehrman had four saves.

Truckee 3, Pahrump Valley 0 — Entering last week’s 3A Southern League tourney, the Trojans were a No. 3 seed not even favored to win a postseason game.

At halftime Friday, they were locked in a scoreless tie with North No. 1 seed Truckee with a state-title trip on the line.

But Stephanie O’Neil, Jordan Tollison and Kelsi Decker scored second-half goals to lead the Wolverines to the win.

Shannon Nicholls and Adele Shaffer had assists for Truckee, which got a two-save shutout from freshman goalkeeper Jesse McGinley.

“The wind was just horrible,” Pahrump Valley coach Greg Leseberg said. “We just couldn’t connect the ball to feet.”

The Trojans (7-10-2) lose six seniors.

“It’s a goose bump moment,” Leseberg said of his team’s postseason run. “These girls fought hard to get where we’re at.”