Sumner gets looks, but none find net in season-ending 1-0 loss to Arlington in 3A state soccer quarterfinals

Sumner dominated this match.

Except on the scoreboard.

Nearly everything the Spartans sent at the goal was either directly to Arlington’s goalkeeper or hard off the crossbar, while the Eagles’ cashed in on one of their few looks on Danielle Baker’s goal in the 24th minute for a 1-0 victory on Saturday at Sunset Chev Stadium in Sumner to advance to the 3A state quarterfinals and end Sumner’s season.

Arlington will face Southridge in the 3A state semifinals at Sparks Stadium at 2 p.m. on Friday.

"I’ve been on both ends of this," Sumner coach Robi Turley said. "That’s just the game of soccer. You can dominate matches but still not get the ball into the back of the net, while they get one good opportunity and they make the most of it."

Sumner (17-3-0) had two shots in the first 17 minutes careen hard off the crossbar. First Sam Larberg in the fifth minute, then Megan McDonald in the 17th.

Then Arlington struck. Baker got a near perfect lead pass in front of the goal and around a Sumner defender and she sent it into the net for the 1-0 lead.

Arlington goalkeeper Kat Sanchez had three crucial second-half saves. She snatched a shot from Hannah Rowen in the 42nd, Jordan Thompson’s hard header off a corner kick in the 68th.

Sanchez fell into a save – literally – in the 55th when the rain-drenched ball slipped out of her grasp while she was on the ground. Larberg quickly struck it, but it was right into Sanchez, who was still lying down in front of the goal.

It was the fourth consecutive shutout Arlington (17-4-0) has posted in the playoffs and the 13th overall this season.

Sumner won the 3A South Puget Sound League title and last week won its first 3A state playoff game since moving up to 4A. The Spartans won back-to-back 2A titles in 2012-2013 and lost to Seattle Prep in the first round of the 3A state playoffs last season.

"The only team that is ever happy is the state champion, but this team far surpassed where I thought we would be," Turley said. "This team lost six college players slash returned four varsity starters. TO make it to the Elite 8 with that? That’s pretty awesome. That’s pretty special.

“This is problaby one of the hardest working teams I’ve ever had. It took every single one of them. Every game it was someone different.”

This story was originally published November 14, 2015 at 5:24 PM with the headline "Sumner gets looks, but none find net in season-ending 1-0 loss to Arlington in 3A state soccer quarterfinals."