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FOREST LAKE — In a clash of strengths pitting the prolific 101-goal scoring offense of Duluth East and the stingy defense of No. 2 Stillwater Area, the latter ruled the day in Tuesday’s Class AAA quarterfinal match.
The Ponies entered the contest allowing the fewest goals of any team in the Class AAA tournament field and showed why, holding the highest-scoring team, the Greyhounds, scoreless in a 3-0 final at Forest Lake High School.
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East finishes the season with a 16-3-1 record.
Weather was a factor throughout the first half with swirling winds and a constant light rain enveloping the field and temperatures hovering around 43 degrees.
The inclement weather did little to slow down Greyhounds’ scoring leaders Darby Friday and Lilly Kuettel, however, as the dynamic forward duo were a fixture in the Stillwater back end applying early pressure on goalkeeper Reese Elzen.
East remained active on the offensive side as Jessie Paulson narrowly got East on the board with a long-range strike that glanced off the glove of Elzen and hit the inside of the crossbar for a near-goal.
The Ponies were quick to respond with pressure of their own with a shot on goalkeeper Jordin Flohaug and a pair of corner kicks in the first 10 minutes of play.
The fast-paced action continued in the final 15 minutes before halftime as Stillwater Area came within inches of taking the lead on a Marisa Koehn deflection off a cross pass that hit the post.
After a scoreless first half, both teams exchanged scoring chances before the Ponies broke the deadlock with a goal by Evelyn Huffer in the 50th minute, putting the Greyhounds in desperation mode for the remainder of the match.
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Momentum remained in Stillwater’s favor in the 20 minutes that followed as East struggled to contend with the Ponies’ relentless attack. The pressure culminated in a backbreaking second goal by Jenna Kurth in the 68th minute.
Kurth put an exclamation point on the Ponies’ second-half burst with a goal in the 74th minute.
This story will be updated.
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