3A Girls Soccer | Mercer Island reaches title game, beats Camas 2-1

LAKEWOOD — After his team's 2-1 win against fifth-ranked Camas in a Class 3A state semifinal Friday at Harry Lang Stadium, Mercer Island girls soccer coach Adam Gervis quoted the late O'Dea boys basketball coach, Phil Lumpkin.

"He said, 'Sometimes it's just your time and get it done,' " Gervis said. "And we did tonight, and that's what this is all about. These girls are amazing."

The 12th-ranked Islanders (15-3-1) play for the first state championship in program history at 2 p.m. Saturday against No. 11 Columbia River of Vancouver.

The Islanders' winning goal came in the 70th minute when senior midfielder Erin Bourguignon scored a penalty kick after a hard Camas foul in the penalty box.

"All season our motivation was making history at Mercer Island High School, and we're still doing it," Bourguignon said.

The Papermakers (15-4-1) pressed hard for the equalizer late in the game, and in the 79th minute junior Annike Sumpter hammered a 20-yard shot that was denied by the crossbar.

Said Bourguignon of that near-miss: "Oh my god, my jaw dropped."

It was a fitting end to the night, as both teams came inches from scoring goals throughout the match. Camas coach Roland Minder said finishing has been a concern for his team.

"It just wasn't our day," Minder said.

Mercer Island, which hadn't been to state since 2004, took a 1-0 lead in the 13th minute when senior forward Ellen Haas collected a pass along the right sideline and fired a tight-angled, 25-yard shot past a diving goalkeeper for her team-leading 19th goal.

The world-class strike was nothing new for Haas.

"She does that all the time, and that's why she was the leading scorer in the league," Gervis said.

The Papermakers, who won the state title in 2005, scored their only goal in the 26th minute, when Olivia Lovell headed in a cross from the left wing from Adrienne Engel.

Other semifinal

Columbia River 2, West Valley (Yakima) 1, shootout

Hannah Kimsey headed in a corner kick for the tying goal in the 71st minute and goalkeeper Teagan Ryan made two saves in a penalty-kick shootout to lead the Chieftains (15-4-2) to their first championship game.

"I don't have many words but I'm very proud of them," said Columbia River coach Colleen McKinney of her team, which won the shootout 3-1.

Haley Curtis gave the third-ranked Rams of Yakima (17-4-0) a 1-0 lead in the 54th minute when she muscled her way to the ball in the Chieftains' penalty box and fired a 15-yard shot past the diving Ryan.