Lady Outlaws win Sky-Em soccer crown

Sisters' girls soccer team wasn't satisfied simply to win this season. They crushed their opponents, one after another in back-to-back-to-back shutouts.

The domination continued last week as the Lady Outlaws wrapped up league play and claim their second consecutive Sky-Em league title with shutouts over Sweet Home and Elmira.

The Outlaws finished at 9-0 in league, 11-1-1 overall and tied with Scappoose for the least amount of goals scored against them on the season (five). Sisters is currently ranked No. 3 in the state.

Sisters played under the lights in their last home league game on Tuesday, October 25. Temperatures as low as 27 degrees didn't deter the team from their mission, and the Lady Outlaws blanked the visiting Huskies 4-0.

Sisters scored all four of their goals in the first half. The first came in the 16th minute, when Lauryn Chauncey put in her first goal of the season off a Natalie Ambrose pass. Chauncey dribbled inside the 18 and blasted the ball into the net hip-height to the right of the keeper.

Michelle Young scored on a penalty kick two minutes later to put the Outlaws up 2-0.

Sisters' final two goals came in the 28th and 34th minute, the first on a goal from Liz Stewart on an Ambrose pass and the second on a goal from Young, thanks to a pass from Molly Boyle.

"We played a good first half and played lots of kids in different positions," stated Goertzen. "The weather was a factor. It was very cold."

Two days later, Sisters posted a 9-0 shutout at Elmira, which marked their 21st consecutive league win.

Natalie Ambrose scored Sisters' first two goals to get the scoring frenzy started. Ambrose scored on a free kick that went up and over the keeper, and just minutes later she tallied another goal on a corner kick from Haley Carlson.

Jodie Reoch made a run with the ball to the middle of the 18-yard box and sent a bullet shot to the left of the goalie two minutes later to give the Outlaws a 3-0 lead.

Ambrose scored her third goal at the 25-minute mark to record a hat trick. Natalie dribbled the ball through defenders and at approximately 14 yards out booted one into the net for the unassisted goal.

Sisters racked up three more goals before the half to push to a 7-0 advantage. Cassandra Arruda made a fine pass from the back that traveled untouched through the middle and up the right side. Michelle Young corralled the pass and then launched a shot at hip height into the back of the net. Young headed in the next goal off a corner kick from Reoch, and the final goal of the half came from Marissa Haynes. Haynes banged in the unassisted goal from 20 yards out with a great shot to the back of the net.

Eleven minutes into the second half, Amity Calvin scored her second goal of the season on a pass from Reoch. Sisters wrapped up their scoring effort at the 63-minute mark on a goal by Emily Corrigan. The shot hit the keeper's body and then went through her hands. Corrigan made a quick adjustment and went around the keeper and finished the goal into an open net.

"It was a total-effort goal by Emily," said Goertzen. "She would not be denied."

Sisters took care of business and held off the Falcons to secure the win and the league championship.

Goertzen commented on the team's accomplishment: "It's a very special feeling and a huge accomplishment to take the league title for the second-straight year. It speaks to our program, which has gotten better and better, and it fortifies the kids. It's a tribute to how much they have sacrificed to get to this point and their willingness to push to become as successful as we have."

The 21-straight league wins is a first for a team in the Sky-Em Conference, and the Outlaws also made history as the only team to allow only one goal in league.

Sisters will host a play-in game on Thursday, November 3, against Central, the fourth-place team from the Oregon West Conference. The game is set to begin at noon.