Kentwood’s defense held for 90 minutes of soccer. But even that wasn’t enough.

After nine rounds of a penalty-kicks shootout, the Conquerors lost for the first time this season, 1-0 to Skyline in a Class 4A state semifinal Friday night at Harry E. Lang Stadium in Lakewood.

The Conquerors, who had allowed only two goals all season, had their hands full against the defending state champions, but nothing got past the defenders or Kentwood’s goalkeeping duo of Megan Walburn and Courtney Johnson.

Unfortunately for Kentwood, nothing would get past Skyline’s duo of Jill Stika and Tina Vargas, either, during regulation and overtime.

In the shootout, the first four players from each team converted their penalty kicks, and the fifth players both missed, sending the shootout into sudden death.

The teams were even through the eighth round, 6-6, before Skyline’s Kayla Shim sent her shot past Johnson and into the upper left corner of the net.

Kentwood’s last opportunity to prolong the shootout – and the season – went over the goal to the right, beginning a celebration for Skyline (17-4). The Spartans will play in their second straight 4A state title match against Kingco rival Issaquah today.

A dejected Clarisa Hammer walked toward her Kentwood teammates after the 16-1-4 Conquerors’ dream of advancing to the championship match ended abruptly.

It was the third time in the past five years that Kentwood’s season ended in a shootout at the state tournament.

Johnson, with tears streaming down her face, summed up the dramatic finish.

“It’s not a fair way to end a game,” she said.

Johnson and Walburn took turns in goal during the shootout, sharing their duties equally, just as they did all season. Johnson had one save. Walburn almost had another, but she couldn’t hold onto the ball.

“It wasn’t our night,” Kentwood coach Aaron Radford said. “With the (shootout) kicks, you just don’t win.”

Kentwood will play Kamiakin for the third-place trophy at noon today.

Issaquah 3, Kamiakin 1: The Issaquah Eagles (17-2-0) advanced to their fifth state championship match in six years by beating the Columbia Basin Big Nine co-champion Braves (18-2-1) behind two goals and an assist from senior Kristen Maris. Lindsay Stoll broke a 1-1 tie with a goal in the 38th minute for Issaquah, which won three Class 3A state titles between 2004 and 2007.

CLASS 3A SEMIFINALS

Columbia River 2, West Valley (Yakima) 1 (shootout, 3-1): Columbia River’s Hannah Kimsey scored the tying goal in the 71st minute to force overtime, and she converted her kick from the mark as the Chieftains (15-4-2) defeated the Red Raiders 3-1 in the shootout.

Haley Curtis scored for West Valley in the 54th minute.

Mercer Island 2, Camas 1: Erin Bourguignon’s goal in the 70th minute broke the 1-1 tie and sent the 3A Kingco champion Islanders (15-3-1) to the Class 3A championship match.

Ellen Haas also scored for Mercer Island.

Olivia Lovell scored for the Papermakers (15-4-1) in the 26th minute.

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