2024 Soccer State Tournament: Class AAA Girls Semifinals
Posted: Tuesday, October 29, 2024 - 1:08 PM
Need to know what schools earned berths in the big-school state championship game? Just hit reset.
Top-seeded Wayzata and No. 3 Edina found their way back to the championship game after each recorded semifinal victories during the Minnesota State High School League’s Soccer State Tournament on Tuesday, Oct. 29 at U.S. Bank Stadium. Wayzata started the day of six semifinal games with a 5-0 victory over No. 4 Eagan, and a couple of hours later, Edina upended No. 2 East Ridge for a 3-1 victory.
The victories for the longtime Lake Conference foes create a rematch for the state championship. A year ago, Edina recorded a 2-1 victory as the top seed. It will be the third time in state tournament history that Wayzata and Edina have played for a state championship. The other was in 2000 when Wayzata rolled to a 3-0 victory.
Wayzata qualified for this latest meeting, in part, behind three goals from sophomore midfielder Alex Villueux. University of Minnesota recruit Tenley Sended, a senior forward, put the Trojans (18-1-1) on a positive path when she scored in the second minute. Her high, arching shot from just outside the penalty area completed a 60-yard scoring play following an Eagan turnover. Later, Villueux scored in the 13th minute off a rebound, and later added a header to give the Trojans a three-goal advantage at the break.
Edina (13-1-5) had the upper hand during the conference season, recording a 2-1 victory over Wayzata on Aug. 27. It is Wayzata’s only loss this season. Edina lost its opener to Rosemount and has had five draws during the season.
But when it has counted, Edina has continued its winning ways, extending an unbeaten string to eight games.
Sophomore midfielder Mikaela Caverly scored her 13th goal of the season to give the Hornets a one-goal lead at the break. Freshman forward Elizabeth Conner doubled the lead with 11 minutes remaining in regulation. But East Ridge kept chipping away, pulling to within a goal with 4:09 remaining on a tally by senior midfielder Elle Wildman, a University of Iowa recruit.
But that lead climbed back to two goals just 24 seconds later when junior midfielder Lou Ruffien connected on a header off a free kick by senior defender Anna Conner.
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