Girls soccer playoffs: Second-half burst lifts No. 3 Davis over No. 14 Weber
Darts advance to 6A quarterfinals
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- Davis player Makenna Couser fires the ball downfield in a 6A second-round playoff match against Weber on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in Kaysville.
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- Courtney Burbidge of Davis, left, and Weber’s Alyssa Boydston (7) joust for the ball in a 6A second-round playoff match Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in Kaysville.
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- Davis player Ellie Stowers, right, passes away from Weber’s Kambree Barker (15) in a 6A second-round playoff match Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in Kaysville.
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- Weber keeper Kallie Wallace secures the ball in a 6A second-round playoff match against Davis on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in Kaysville.
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- Davis player Marley Francis, left, moves past Weber’s Katelyn Poulsen (25) in a 6A second-round playoff match Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in Kaysville.
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- Weber’s Carley Gardenhour (17) stops the ball as Davis player Samantha Maudsley (6) approaches in a 6A second-round playoff match Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in Kaysville.
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- Weber’s Carley Gardenhour (17) eyes the ball in a 6A second-round playoff match against Davis on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in Kaysville.
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- Davis player Reial Phongsavath, left, and Weber’s Carley Gardenhour (17) battle for the ball in a 6A second-round playoff match Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in Kaysville.
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- Weber’s Sadie Fletcher tries to corral the ball in a 6A second-round playoff match against Davis Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in Kaysville.
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- Weber, foreground, and Davis girls soccer teams huddle before a 6A state second-round playoff match Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in Kaysville.
KAYSVILLE — The 6A second-round soccer match between Davis and Weber was tied 0-0 early in the second half. Then suddenly, it wasn’t.
No. 3 Davis scored four goals over a 12-minute span early in the second half and advanced to the quarterfinals with a 4-0 shutout over the No. 14 Warriors on Tuesday night.
“We definitely knew something had to change; we were getting opportunities but weren’t getting them in the back of the net. A lot of it was just connecting in the final third,” Davis co-captain Simone Packer said. “(Coach) Dillon (Richens) gave a lot of great pointers, saying we need to be positive and work for each other on the field.”
Packer broke the scoreless tie in the 43rd minute, scoring a goal on a header in front of the net off a pass from Sammy Maudsley.
“Sammy gave a great ball to me and I was in the right place at the right time and got it in,” Packer said.
Things stayed status quo for the next seven minutes before Packer scored again, this time from 25 yards out, making it 2-0.
“I saw an open space and I was like, ‘I’m going to shoot it and see if it goes in,’ and sure enough,” Packer said.
That goal opened the floodgates as Davis (15-3) scored three total goals over 4 1/2 half minutes.
“We had to believe in ourselves that we were going to start getting them in, getting some rhythm and we eventually did,” Packer said. “When the second one went it, the rest started coming. It’s a confidence thing; knowing we got one so we can get more.”
Only 46 seconds later, Brooklyn Phongsavath scored on a rebound in front of the net and the Davis lead ballooned to 3-0.
Kate Willard capped the scoring for Davis, netting in the 55th minute for the final 4-0 margin.
“Being smart and knowing that we’re up. Play smart on defense and not let them score. We all came in with such high energy; the second half was much more enjoyable. We got one after another,” Packer said.
Keeper Lexi Lund had the clean sheet shutout for the Darts.
Davis beat Weber (9-9) twice during the Region 1 season but wasn’t taking the Warriors for granted.
“(Beating them) was a confidence booster, but they’re a great team and we knew we had to keep our heads in it because we didn’t want to lose,” Packer said. “In the playoffs, we can’t worry about RPI. Take it game by game, half by half. Focus on the present and hopefully make it all the way.”
The next step in the journey for the Darts is a quarterfinal home match against No. 6 Corner Canyon on Thursday.
