Another First: Tigers in section finals

Izzie Ferm (No. 11) scored the game-winner (photo by Jim Lindquist)

The Tigers added another entry to their rapidly growing list of firsts Saturday afternoon with a 1-0 overtime win at Owatonna in the semifinals of the Section 1AA tournament..

A goal by Izzie Ferm off a corner kick by Hannah Miller in the first extra session vaulted the third-seeded Tigers into Tuesday's night's championship tilt against top-seeded and No. 1-rated Lakeville North. It is the first time a Farmington soccer team has reached a section final.

Already this season coach Rob Carpentier's girls have won their first-ever Missota Conference title, reached the 12-win mark in a season, hosted a playoff game and won (twice) in the post-season.

Saturday's win over Owatonna not only sent the Tigers to the finals but it also avenged a 2-1 regular season loss to the Huskies on the same turf.

"This game was entirely different," Carpentier said. "We brought our 'A' game as far as intensity goes. We actually passed the ball better the first game but today we were so much more physical and got to most of the 50-50 balls."

The visitors started putting pressure on the Owatonna net after a scoreless first half and according to Carpentier had the better of the play through the end of regulation.
"We finished with a 16-7 shot advantage and 8-4 in actual shots on net," he said. "Our defense was outstanding in the second half when we held them to just one shot on net...and it was five yards wide."

In post-season play tied games go into two 10-minute "sudden goal" periods followed by, if necessary, a 10-player (five from each team) shootout.

"I was lamenting the good chances we hadn't converted in the second half and the first part of the overtime and already starting to think about the shootout when we scored," Carpentier said.

Hannah Miller's corner kick set up game-winner (photo by Jim Lindquist)

The game-winner came as a result of Kelli Kornmann chasing down a through-ball to set up Miller's corner kick, Farmington's seventh of the day.

"Hannah put it right where we have been practicing all week," Carpentier said. " Izzie lined up wide and deep and made a great run into the box. She adjusted slightly to the flight of the ball, but she met it square and the keeper had no chance.

"We had a perfect angle from the bench. The girls started celebrating before it even went into the back of the net; that's how decisive a hit it was."

Carpentier singled out the defensive play of Sydney Eckert and Kayla Kucala and added special words of praise for Destiny Schmitz.

Destiny Schmitz (photo by Jim Lindquist)

"Destiny simply terrorized their defense all day," he said. "We moved her to forward from her usual midfield wing spot at the start of OT and they shaded two girls her way, thus opening things up for Kelli (Kornmann) to make her run that led to the corner that won the game."

Strong defense is nothing new to the Tigers who posted their school record 11th shutout of the 2012 season while upping their all-time best record to 12-4-2.

"We have had great communication on defense," Carpentier said. "Izzie, Kayla, Leah (Zak), Nicole (Doran) and Ashley (keeper Becker) know each other's tendencies and have a lot of trust in each other."

Carpentier said he will need another strong defensive effort in Tuesday's title game at North if his team is going to handle the Panthers (15-1-2).

"They are the best team in the state with the best forward tandem in the state," he said. "We will have to play like we did today, only better...and catch a few breaks along the way."

Game time is 7:00 Tuesday night at North.