Originally published November 16, 2012 at 8:08 PM | Page modified November 16, 2012 at 9:47 PM

PUYALLUP Coach Tami Nguyen would do it all over again.

All her Liberty High School girls soccer team needed was one more penalty kick against Columbia River to advance to the Class 3A state championship game for the second straight year.

Nguyen entrusted the shot to senior Kiana Hafferty.

But Columbia River keeper Haley Case came up with a save to extend the game, and the Chieftains went on to take a 2-1 shootout victory (5-4 on PKs) Friday at Sparks Stadium.

Fourth-ranked Columbia River (18-0-2) plays No. 2 Mount Spokane (20-0) for the title at 2 p.m. Saturday. Liberty (14-4-1) faces No. 7 Holy Names (15-6-2) at 10 a.m. for third and fourth.

No. 5 Liberty led River 4-3 on penalty kicks when Nguyen turned to Hafferty, who spent extra time at every practice on PKs. In fact, she stayed 15 minutes after Thursday's session to work on them.

Nguyen, a former standout player and club coach in her first season at Liberty, didn't second-guess her decision.

"If I had to pick anyone, I'd still pick her again," Bennett said. "The keeper probably just guessed right."

The Patriots (14-4-1), who lost last year's title game to Seattle Prep, took the lead in the 26th minute on a Tara Johnson goal off Katie Noonan's throw-in only the fifth goal Columbia River has allowed all season. They dominated play well into the second half, but didn't get anything more to show for it. Maddie Reynolds finally pulled Columbia River even in the 69th minute.

Originally posted here:

Liberty, Holy Names fall in 3A semifinals | Girls Soccer