Prairie Girls Soccer

Xavier escapes Hawks for state soccer berth

The Xavier girls soccer earned another trip to the state tournament on Monday, but the Prairie Hawks made them sweat it out.

The top-ranked Saints prevailed, 1-0, in the Class 2A regional finals in sweltering heat at Xavier and will bid for their sixth state title in a row this week in Muscatine.

Xavier (16-2) will face Independence/East Buchanan (15-2) in the opening round of the Class 2A state tournament on Thursday at 2 p.m. at the Muscatine soccer complex.

The Saints defeated the Prairie Hawks, 6-2, during the regular season, but Prairie goalkeeper Emily Musil played a superb game Monday and gave her team a chance to pull an upset.

"It was the best game she's ever played," Prairie Coach Cara Solness remarked.

Musil made a series of diving, sliding, fingertip grabs to keep the Saints off the scoreboard at Heco Field in the first half, and she nearly pitched a shutout for the entire game except for one bruising play early in the second half.

Musil tried to make an aggresive play for a loose ball in front of her goal, but she collided with a Xavier player and Annie Dale was able to score into an empty net with 31 minutes, 34 seconds to play. Sammi Shepard got credit for the assist.

"I got hit in the head," Musil said. "I think it was her shinpad. I blacked out for a few seconds."

When Musil regained her senses, the Saints had their 1-0 lead.

Musil said she got hit three times in the face or head during the match. She was looking forward to going home and relaxing, knowing her team gave a good effort.

Xavier dominated the match and had numerous chances to score, but Musil kept turning the Saints away. Prairie mounted an attack late in the game and had two good chances, but one shot flew over the goal and the other slid past the goal mouth.

The Saints have won five straight state titles and six overall, but all those were in Class 1A (the smallest class by enrollment). The IGHSAU added another class for girls soccer this year and now the Saints are in Class 2A (the middle class).

Xavier Coach Doug Graham anticipates stiffer competition at the state tournament this year against bigger schools.

Prairie pounds Marion to advance in tourney

Prairie whipped Marion, 5-1, Tuesday in a Class 2A girls soccer regional semifinal at Marion.

Prairie (8-10-1) advances to play No. 1 Xavier on Monday (June 6) at Xavier. The Hawks were beaten by the Saints, 6-2, during the regular season.

Prairie jumped out to a 1-0 lead four minutes into the game. Elissa Musil scored on a feed from Lizzy Fowler.

The Hawks scored four times in the second half. Carly Wehmeyer, Katherine Grabe, Becky Burns and Ashley Hawkins all scored goals. Fowler had a second assist.

Prairie 5, Marion 1

Goals -- CRP: Elissa Musil, Carly Wehmeyer, Katherine Grabe, Becky Burns, Ashley Hawkins; MARION: Not available. Assists -- CRP: Lizzy Fowler 2, Rachel Carney, Carly Wehmeyer,

Prairie girls blank CCA in soccer regional

TIFFIN -- Lizzy Fowler and Katherine Grabe scored goals Thursday and Prairie beat Clear Creek Amana, 2-0, in a first-round Class 2A girls regional soccer game.

Prairie (7-10-1) advances to a regional semifinal at Marion against the Indians on May 31.

Fowler's goal was accidentally deflected into the net by a Clear Creek Amana player. Grabe's goal was unassisted.

Prairie girls and Waterloo West play to draw

Prairie and Waterloo West played to a 1-1 tie in a girls soccer game that was cut short late in regulation because of severe weather.

Meleah Baloch scored Prairie's goal. The Hawks finished the regular season 6-10-1 overall and 5-7-1 in the MVC. They play Clear Creek Amana at Tiffin in a first round Class 2A regional game Thursday at 6 p.m.

West is 5-10-1, 4-8-1.