Golden victory for Washougal soccer

Haley Briggs kicked a golden egg into the basket to help the Washougal High School girls soccer team beat Woodland 2-1 in double overtime Oct. 14, at Fishback Stadium.

Briggs received the ball at the beginning of the second overtime session, and wasted little time taking a shot. She flicked the ball over the goalkeeper’s head, it skipped across the surface and settled into the back of the net.

“As I watched it go over her head, I said ‘please don’t hit the post. Please don’t hit the crossbar,'” Briggs said. “It bent the perfect way. I saw it go in and I couldn’t believe it.”

Baylee Wright chipped the soccer ball into open space to begin the second overtime. She said watching Briggs chase the ball down and chip it into the net was “breathtaking.”

“I was shocked,” Wright said. “To get the game winning goal was the greatest feeling.”

Washougal gained a 1-0 advantage with about three minutes left in the first half. Katie Desimone fired a free kick off the crossbar. Heather Deulen picked up the rebound and rocketed the ball into the net.

“It was all Katie,” Deulen said. “It was her ball that hit the post. I was just in the right place.”

“People don’t always follow the ball,” Desimone said. “Heather did a good job of staying with it.”

Woodland delivered the tying goal at the beginning of the second half. After nipping at their heels through the rest of regulation, the Panthers finally sunk their teeth into the Beavers at the 85-minute mark and avoided a shootout.

Briggs, Deulen, Maddie Braun, Isabelle Sampson and Eleanor Schmid had a Senior Night to remember. They helped Washougal beat Ridgefield 2-1 Thursday, at Fishback Stadium.

Deulen delivered an assist on a goal scored by Desimone in the first half. Deulen added a goal in the second half to give the Panthers a 2-0 advantage.

Ridgefield rallied with a goal and had the opportunity to tie the score on a penalty shot, but Washougal goalkeeper Katzxia Moua made the save to keep Washougal on top. She snagged seven saves in the match.

Washougal (8-3-1, 6-3) moved up to third place in league. The Panthers play at Hockinson tonight, at 7 p.m., and Hudson’s Bay Saturday, at 2 p.m.