![Xavier's Annie Dale (11), Kelsie Sargent (center) and Lauren Konchar share a group hug after the Saints beat Glenwood, 4-0, Friday in the Class 2A girls state soccer tournament semifinals at Muscatine. Dale scored three goals. The Saints go after their sixth straight state championship Saturday against Waukee at 1 p.m. (Photo by Margaret O'Banion)](/images/photos/xavier/gsoccer/6.10.11 crx soccer postgame.jpg)
Dale’s hat trick sends Saints to title tilt
MUSCATINE - For the eighth year in a row, the Xavier girls soccer team is marching into the state championship game. For the sixth straight year, they will be trying to win it all.
The top-ranked Saints will play Waukee for the Class 2A title Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Muscatine Soccer Complex. They advanced by beating No. 5 Glenwood, 4-0, in Friday's semifinals. Second-ranked Waukee (15-3) beat Pleasant Valley, 2-1, in Friday's other semifinal.
Xavier (18-2) was missing leading scorer Kayla Armstrong, who received a red card in the first round against Independence-East Buchanan. Her fellow forward, junior Annie Dale, stepped up to make up for the lost scoring punch, netting three goals against a Glenwood defense that had only given up three goals all season.
“We knew that someone had to step up because Kayla was out, so my teammates played me some good balls and I just had to finish them,” Dale said.
Xavier Coach Doug Graham said Dale has been doing that for the Saints all season long.
“Annie always is the kind of player that, when you need her, she will be there,” Graham said. “That’s the difference, in my opinion, between good players and great players. She plays well under pressure and when we need her she comes through every single time. I’m so impressed by that girl.”
Nicole Noonan scored the other goal for the Saints, whose four goals all came in the first 45 minutes. There were mass substitutions for much of the second half.
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