LAKEPORT >> Nicole Duncan’s goal with 10 minutes remaining snapped a 3-all tie and lifted the Clear Lake Cardinals to a 4-3 win over the Kelseyville Knights in the North Central League I girls soccer finale for both teams on Thursday afternoon in Lakeport.
Clear Lake finishes in a tie with St. Helena for second place in the final league standings, both teams at 10-2-2. The Cardinals will await the outcome of the North Coast Section at-large and seeding meeting on Sunday to find out who, when and where they are playing in the opening round of the Division III playoffs next week.
“I’m really happy with our outcome,” first-year coach Tommy Burke said of Clear Lake’s league finish. “There never was a game that got away from us. We were in all of them. For the most part we played really well.”
Kelseyville closes out league at 5-5-4 and is likely to receive an at-large berth as well. The Knights had a chance to play the spoiler role in their final two games against league champion Middletown (11-0-3) and Clear Lake but lost both times.
Clear Lake led 2-1 at the half. Kelseyville tied the game at 2-2 and 3-3 before Duncan, with an assist from Lexi Burke, broke the tie once and for all.
Amelia Perry scored twice for the Cardinals and assisted on another goal. Burke also had a goal.
For Kelseyville, Kat Brown scored twice and Christina Covarrubias had the other goal. Daniela Gonzalez had a pair of assists.
“In the first half we we struggled and couldn’t get our game going,” Kelseyville coach Eric Hoefler said. “The same thing happened against Middletown.”
