ST. GEORGE – Make it five in a row.
Megan McKenna scored a goal late in the second half for the Lady Warriors and helped Snow Canyon fend off an aggressive Canyon View team 3-2 Thursday night.
The game was tied at two apiece before McKenna took a pass from Callie Stewart and knocked in the game-winner with less than 15 minutes remaining in the game.
“We had one of our best defenders – Jadyn Losee – get two yellow cards and go out of the game in those final minutes,” Warrior coach Kenny Kunde said. “So we were playing with one man down, but that’s when we scored our third goal. Then it was just a matter of holding them off for the rest of the game.”
The game was tied 1-1 at halftime, but then the Falcons (0-2 region, 4-2 overall) scored a goal early in the second half for the 2-1 narrow edge.
Snow Canyon’s Kyleigh Wittwer scored moments later, tying the game yet again and setting up McKenna’s dramatic score.
“We didn’t play very well,” Kunde said. “I hate going to Canyon View to play – it’s so hard. They’re a very, very good team and they play extremely well at home. So when you go in there, you just try to scrape out the win and go home.”
The victory gives the Warriors (2-0 region, 5-0 overall) their fifth in as many games. As it stands, only two teams currently hold a perfect record – Snow Canyon and the Dixie Flyers, who have yet to allow a single goal.
“The last couple of years this group has done a terrific job, but we really want to focus on getting some home playoff games,” Kunde said. “Last year we had to travel in the playoffs because we lost to Cedar. Hopefully we can do better this year.”
The Warriors will get another test when they visit the Reds on Tuesday – most likely without Losee.
“We’re gonna call and get confirmation but she’ll probably have to sit out,” Kunde said. “She had some aggressive play tonight. The first penalty was well deserved – she was yanking on jerseys and trying to slow a kid down. The second one was a bit more questionable. But what can you do?”
Sarah Henderson scored the first goal for the Warriors with eight minutes remaining in the first half. Ashlee Braun and Kassidee Perkins scored the two goals for Canyon View.
Elsewhere, Hurricane beat Pine View 1-0 for its first win of the season off a second-half Lynne Taylor goal.
Region 9 Standings:.
1. Snow Canyon 5-0 (2-0 region)
2. Dixie 5-0 (1-0 region, 5-0 overall) Snow Canyon 5-0 (2-0 region, 5-0 overall)
3. Cedar 5-1 (2-0 region, 5-1 overall)
4. Canyon View 4-2 (0-2 region, 4-2 overall)
5. Desert Hills 2-1-2 (0-1 region, 2-1-2 overall)
6. Hurricane 1-4 (1-1 region, 1-4 overall)
7. Pine View 1-4 (0-1 region, 1-4 overall)
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