Keeeper makes clinching save as Orono wins in shootout

ST. CLOUD – With their star player injured, Jessica Woessner and her Orono teammates stepped up.

After regulation and two overtimes ended scoreless, No. 2-seeded Orono won its second state championship in six years with a 3-2 shootout victory over No. 1-seeded and previously undefeated Minneapolis Washburn.

Claire Bash scored the Spartans' third goal on penalty kicks in the shootout before Woessner made the game-winning save on an attempt by Washburn's Anna Polacek.

"Penalty kicks are something that I have worked really hard on for a really long time," said Woesnner, a junior who made six saves in the game for the shutout. "There's a lot of different things you have to watch. I was very confident."

Orono (19-2-1) played much of the second half without senior Sophie Babo, Minnesota's Ms. Soccer in Class 1A. With 25 minutes, 25 seconds left in regulation, the Kentucky recruit who rejoined the team this season after playing club soccer last year, suffered a leg injury making a slide tackle. Babo was carted off the field and taken away in an ambulance with what was later described as a dislocated ankle and leg fracture.

"[Sophie] really wanted it," Orono coach Erin Murray said. "Every girl knew that. They really did it for Sophie."

Keeper Woessner and Carly Goehring also scored in the shootout. The Millers (20-1), who came into the game with 17 consecutive shutouts, got shootout goals from Morgan Cottew and Emma Stotts.

"Our club did a really, really good job of rallying after Sophie got hurt," Woessner said. "We knew it would be harder without her, but we also knew we had to do it for her — and we did. It feels so good."