Murray – Technically Layton’s girls soccer team came into Tuesday’s 5A first-round playoff game with Cottonwood as the underdog, but in reality the Lancers played like favorites. Layton upended the Colts 3-0 to advance to the state quarterfinals.
The match was still scoreless by halftime, but Layton control time of possession and it seemed like only a matter of time before the Lancers would break the ice.
Early in the second half, Layton’s Courtnee Wood knocked in a close range goal, reinforcing what the team was told at halftime. “First half I thought we play rather well,” said Layton coach Rick Talamantez.
“Second half we settled down a little bit, told the girls, don’t be in a rush, don’t be in a rush to score, and that’s why we didn’t score in the first half,” the Layton coach said.
After grabbing the lead, Layton rolled from there. Alyssa Amano scored the Lancers second goal of the day, on a well struck free kick from 25-yards out.
Then in the 60th minute, Jill Robison knocked in a goal to give the Lancers a 3-0 lead.
Right from the start, Layton was able to control possession of the ball, which ultimately decided the game. “That was one of our goals,” Talamantez noted. “Play a possession game, [if] they don’t have the ball, they don’t have an attack.”
The Lancers will now move on to face three-time defending 5A champion Alta on Thursday at 4pm.
The Hawks buried Syracuse 7-zip but that’s not going to change Layton’s approach to the game.
Talamantez says his team will continue with its ball-control philosophy. “We just need to keep the momentum going. If we keep the ball away from the other team we should be good.”
Three other Region 1 teams advanced after Tuesday’s first-round playoff.
Davis shutout West 3-0, Fremont blanked Murray 4-0 and Viewmont upset Skyline 3-1.
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