Prep Soccer
EUGENE — It seemed for all the world like Marist was playing right into Phoenix’s hands in the first round of the Class 3A/2A/1A girls soccer state playoffs Tuesday.

Until the last 36 seconds.

Marist, utilizing an offensive attack of mostly long-range, low-percentage shots, had its last howitzer find the mark for a 2-1 triumph.

All-state junior Ali Boyum launched a long bender from 25 yards out with about a half-minute left. The shot started outside the right post, then curled into the upper corner.

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Most of the Spartans’ offerings were straight on.

"This one wasn’t," said Pirates coach John Doty, adding that junior goalkeeper Jaclyn Unruh "flew over to get it. I don’t know if she touched it or not. It was a mammoth shot and had blistering pace on it. It probably was the most strongly struck shot of the game."

The win sends Marist, the No. 2 team out of the Sky-Em League, into the quarterfinals against Sherwood, a 2-0 winner over Blanchet.

Eighth-ranked Phoenix, runner-up in District 6, ended the season with a 13-4 record.

Unruh wound up making 14 saves, more than she’d amassed all season, but some weren’t overly difficult because of the Spartans’ shot selection.

"We were going to let them have that shot all freakin’ day," Doty said of the long bombs.

Unruh did have her moments, diving to get her fingertips on a Marist’s first shot and deflecting it outside the post.

"From then on, she was pretty much on fire," said Doty. "By the end of the game, she was just coated with mud. She looked like she stepped off a battlefield."

Among Unruh’s saves were a backpedaling effort on which she managed to punch the ball over the crossbar and several times when she made "stunning" stops, said Doty, on breakaways.

After a scoreless first half, Unruh, at the opposite end of the field than she played in the first half, slipped in the muddy box and Drea Da Silva slipped a shot past her for the game’s first goal at the 42nd minute.

Ten minutes later, Phoenix retaliated when Marci Klimek used some fancy footwork to free herself for a pass to Kat Cox, who faked the keeper into falling and scored.

The Pirates had a chance to go ahead with three minutes remaining, but barely missed.

Larrisa Wiltrout’s shot was deflected by the goalie. The ball squirted across the goal mouth, and Phoenix’s Kelly Riley blasted a shot that was also blocked. Hallie Storied then rebounded, fired and missed a goal by less than a foot.

"We were feeling good about getting into overtime," said Doty.

Then Boyum made her backbreaker.