Vikings' girls down Maria Carrillo, 1-0, in overtime

<p>After 80 minutes of aggressive in-your-face soccer, Montgomery and Maria Carrillo needed overtime Friday to decide the winner. That the North Bay League girls’ match ended 0-0 in regulation wasn’t a surprise to any of the 400 fans at Montgomery.</p><p>It was apparent from the opening touch the two long-time rivals wouldn’t give up any easy goals. Solid defense, augmented by excellent play in goal, combined to keep the match scoreless through one 10-minute overtime period.</p><p>Then with 3:51 left in the second overtime period, the Vikings struck with a suddenness that deflated the Pumas, but produced the season’s most important goal for the perennial NBL contender.</p><p>Mackenzie Komrij struck a corner kick to the front post. Alyssa Anderson was there waiting. Anderson, in the midst of several defenders, somehow got a foot on the ball and chipped it in to give the Vikings a 1-0 win.</p><p>“I ran toward the front post and curved around the goalkeeper. I saw it coming and stuck my foot in there,” Anderson said.</p><p>Even then, the Pumas didn’t go quietly. Courtney Minton hammered a shot from about 20 yards out that banged off the cross bar with about three minutes left in the game.</p><p>Montgomery improved to 8-1 in league, a half-game ahead of Carrillo (7-1-1). With only three matches remaining, the Vikings are now in a position to close out the Pumas, who defeated them 1-0 in their first match.</p><p>“I felt like it was a perfect opportunity to finish the game,” said Komrij, who had played a couple of other well placed corner kicks without results. “They are a great team. It was a physical game. It feels great to come out and defend you turf.”</p><p>Montgomery coach Pat McDonald said it was a match that could have gone either way.</p><p>“There weren’t any losers here today,” he said. “They played just as good as us. We knew we would have to be ready physically and mentally ... we had to get organized and ready for this game. This game lived up to its billing. We were able to get a corner kick at the right time and score.”</p><p>Much of the opening 10 minutes was played in the midfield. Carrillo seemed content to play most balls over the top instead of building an organized attack. The approach didn’t work. Montgomery’s passing in the early going was less than stellar. The obvious result was few scoring chances on either side of the pitch.</p><p>The Vikings first shot came in the 11th minute. Carrillo’s only real chance came from Ali Schaffer in the 13th minute. Schaffer had a reasonable look between defenders, but sent her shot over the cross bar.</p><p>Despite not winning many second balls, Montgomery began to assert itself midway through the first half, manufacturing several shots. Anderson nailed a rocket 16 minutes into the half that Puma goalie Emily Sellner punched out with a dive.</p><p>Sellner and Vikings’ keeper Megan Herring were both on top of their games, always positioned properly and ready to move to either side.</p><p>A Vikings’ counter attack in the waning minutes of the half produced a free kick from 30 yards when Kareli Rodriguez was pushed. Komrij took the shot, but ripped the ball high over the bar.</p><p>Then in stoppage time, Komrij chipped a corner kick to the center of the box that bounced uncontrolled near the goal with several Vikings getting a foot on the elusive shot, but to no avail. The Pumas finally cleared it and the half ended.</p><p>Over the first 40 minutes the Vikings had four shots, while Carrillo could manage just one shot on target. Sellner had four saves in the half and finished with eight. Montgomery out shot the Pumas, 7-4.</p><p>“I thought we would bring it, we really wanted it,” Sellner said. “I thought it would be close, but not overtime. Both teams played with a lot of heart.”</p>