Lower Columbia Women's Soccer Advances to NWAC Quarterfinals via Penalty Shootout

Red Devils Punch Quarterfinal Ticket After 110-Minute Stalemate and Nine-Round Shootout

Postseason soccer rarely offers anything resembling comfort, but Wednesday afternoon at Longview Memorial Stadium tested every nerve in the building. After 110 minutes of scoreless, bruising soccer, the Lower Columbia College women’s soccer team outlasted the Walla Community College Warriors 4-2 in a dramatic penalty-kick shootout, punching a ticket to the NWAC Quarterfinals as lccreddevils.com reported.

The regional playoff clash brought together two defensive units determined to yield nothing from the opening whistle. Just over a minute into the match, Walla challenged Red Devils goalkeeper Leeann Williams, though Williams successfully blocked Soleil Hoefer’s early shot to establish a firm tone. Down the pitch, Lower Columbia generated pressure with first-half shots on frame from Maylee Reynolds and Annabelle Rogers, yet Warriors keeper Emi Pruneda stood equally tall to keep the scoreboard clean.

Defenders and Goalkeeper Halt Walla Attack

The physical battle intensified after halftime, featuring stubborn midfield collisions and tight marking in the defensive third. Throughout regulation and extra time, Walla offensive players Brianna Avalos and Reese McKay combined for eight shot attempts, but Williams alongside the LCC defensive line—comprising Delanie Zueger, Payton Bullmore, and Marseille Edwards—neutralized every danger. Williams recorded eight saves by the end of regulation and extra time, mirroring Pruneda’s total of eight stops.

Lower Columbia Women's Soccer Advances to NWAC Quarterfinals via Penalty Shootout — Photo: findglocal.com

Tensions boiled over early in the first overtime period when Walla forward Payton Anderson received her second booking of the match in the 94th minute. The resulting red card left the Warriors down to 10 players for the final 16 minutes. Lower Columbia capitalized on their numerical advantage through opportunities created by Edwards, Reynolds, and Addison Hartley, but the Walla backline held strong across both 10-minute overtime periods to force the scoreless deadlock into a penalty-kick shootout.

Clinical Precision from the Spot

With a quarterfinal berth hanging in the balance, the Red Devils proved clinical under pressure, converting all four of their opening attempts while Williams and the woodwork shut the door on Walla. Amy Morales opened the shootout by converting for the Warriors, but Raelie Guizzotti answered immediately for Lower Columbia, burying her attempt to level the score at 1-1.

After Avalos and Annabelle Rogers traded successful strikes in the second round, the momentum swung decisively in the third when Hoefer missed the frame for Walla. Reynolds successfully converted her penalty shot, pushing the Red Devils ahead to a 3-2 advantage. Abbi Gaudreault converted for the Warriors to keep the pressure on, but Addison Hartley coolly slotted home LCC’s fourth consecutive make. When Walla’s fifth-round attempt missed its mark, it sealed the 4-2 shootout victory and sparked a celebration on the pitch.

Red Devils Advance to Face Peninsula Pirates

The regional playoff victory lifts Lower Columbia to a 12-2-6 record and sets up an immediate road test. The Red Devils travel to Port Angeles, Washington, to face the North Region number one seeded Peninsula Pirates on Saturday, November 7, at 1:00 pm. Securing a victory in the quarterfinal round will advance Lower Columbia to the NWAC Championship Final Four hosted at Starfire Sports Stadium located in Tukwila, Washington, where remaining conference semifinalists compete for the NWAC title.