SHORELINE — For nearly 40 minutes, neither Shorecrest nor Snohomish could find strong scoring opportunities in the District 1 3A girls soccer semifinals at Shoreline Stadium on Tuesday.
Then out of no where, Shorecrest junior Siena Muoio won possession in the left corner and found senior Olivia Taylor in the box. Provided a rare moment of time and space to square up a shot, the forward did not waste it. With a shot to the bottom left corner, Taylor put Shorecrest ahead 1-0 just moments before halftime.
“We discussed beforehand to really use the wides to our advantage, the flanks, and really try and beat players down line and get crosses in based off of that,” Taylor said. “And I think Siena just was a prime example of what we were trying to work towards on that end, and it kind of just worked out for the best. I just happened to be in the right spot. She played an amazing ball, and then it was just attaching a finish from there.”
In a tight matchup between two Wesco powerhouses, sometimes plays like that are all it takes. Tuesday was no different.
The Scots (15-1-2) held on for a 1-0 victory over the Panthers (11-6-1), securing a spot in the state tournament after missing out last year, and returning to the District Championship for the first time since 2023. The program’s last title was in 2022. Snohomish, who won the district tournament last year, will have to fight for a berth in the consolation bracket.
“It’s hard to get in those situations and constantly have to try to battle and coach them, but ultimately it’s up to them,” Shorecrest coach Mindy Dalziel said. “The girls have got to figure this out. They’ve got to look to each other, and they got to dig in, and I think the credit is that battle, right? They fought ‘til the very end, and sometimes it wasn’t pretty, but they took it upon themselves to get where they wanted to go.”
The Scots and Panthers do not play in the same league, but they faced each other in a non-league tuneup all the way back on Sept. 3. Shorecrest won 3-1, but Dalziel put little stock in that outcome given how much teams change throughout the season. Snohomish coach Brielle Dodge shared a similar sentiment, as watching the game film leading up to Tuesday revealed how much the team had grown since then.
“We’ve synced together, and we’ve found girls that have thrived in different positions,” Dodge said. “So it was fun to be able to come back, I think, just to prove it to ourselves. To say that we’re a team that can compete with anybody, and that we’ve worked really hard and that your effort is coming to fruition.”
Possession went back-and-forth early, and the Panthers tested Scots goalie Mickie McNeil with a couple of long shots in the fourth minute. The senior stepped up for a close-range save on Snohomish senior Danica Avalos in the 12th minute, and Shorecrest sophomore Agatha Freeman cleared the rebound from a vulnerable spot to keep the Panthers off the board.
Snohomish made strong defensive plays against the Scots as they tried attacking from the flanks and working inside. Ultimately, they found an opening with Muoio’s assist to Taylor.
“I think we were trying to do a really good job finding our forwards and having them run onto balls,” Muoio said. “And just getting them in and behind and on goal, basically, and that’s what we did.”
Each side had an opportunity to make a play from a long free kick early in the second half, as Panthers senior Lizzie Allyn’s blast into the box narrowly missed sophomore Jenna Pahre for a header in the 52nd minute, and senior goalkeeper Ella Beaver secured Muoio’s long free kick in the 54th minute.
McNeil made a highlight save in the 58th minute, punching a bouncing shot from senior Jo Cort over the bar at the last second to preserve the lead. Even as Snohomish started to establish more possession in the midfield, McNeil and her backline answered every challenge down the stretch.
“I think it was really a test for our midfield and our backline to really be the first to the ball, and really fight for what we wanted,” Taylor said. “I think it definitely tested us, but I feel like we really did a good job today. It really tested our communication, too. … I mean, center back Kai Johnson, she was raising her voice a little bit, so it was nice to hear her step up and lead the back line and midfield to work toward our success.”
Fighting for an equalizer, Allyn needed to be helped off the field in the 75th minute after a hard collision in the box, and Dodge did not have an update on her status immediately after the game. Snohomish kept pushing until the final minute, picking up multiple corner kick opportunities, but Freeman, Johnson and freshman Zoey Muoio each made heads-up defensive plays in the final minutes to secure the win.
Shorecrest will face Stanwood in the District Championship at Shoreline Stadium on Saturday, and the program hopes to win its first district title in four years.
“It’s been awhile since Shorecrest has been in that district final game,” Dalziel said. “So for us, it’s an opportunity to continue on our way to state, and yeah, win or lose, you go, but if you win that game, it’s hopefully a better seed. Makes a little bit of a different. This is going to be a really good game to battle and to watch. … I’m excited to get there. (Missing state) last year was a sucker-punch for us, it really was. So it’s nice to be able to breathe.”
