Carson girls dominate Reno in 1-0 regional win

RENO - Carson High kept its unbeaten record intact with a 1-0 win over Reno in the opening round of the NIAA 4A girls soccer playoffs Saturday afternoon at Damonte Ranch High School.

The win moves Carson into Thursday's semifinals against South Tahoe at 7 p.m., also at Damonte.

South Tahoe and Reed were scoreless after regulation, went through two 15-minute overtime periods, a five-player shootout and a sudden-death shootout before the Vikings emerged with the win. Carson had a win (2-0) and tie (1-1) against the Vikings in the regular season.

The Senators' game wasn't as close as the score indicated. Carson had a 15-10 advantage in shots taken, and the Senators had more quality scoring opportunities.

Carson also had 10 corner kicks throughout the match, but was unable to convert on any of them.

Carson is now 13-0-4 on the season.

"We had a lot of scoring opportunities, we just couldn't convert," Carson coach Randy Roser said. "Sam (Samantha Fishburn) had a good look at one (7th minute). Everybody was standing around when the ball was in the air."

Taylor Musselman scored Carson's only goal in the 15th minute when she blasted one in from 26 yards to beat Reno's Kelsey Dory.

"I was going for the goal," said Musselman, who suffered a black eye late in the game after colliding with a Reno player. "I was trying to get it over her head."

"I don't think the goalie came out too far," said Reno coach Shelly Brown. "It was a good shot by Taylor. Nobody stepped to the ball (to defense her)."

Parker Peterson had Reno's best scoring chance in the first 40 minutes, but her shot sailed well over the cross bar from about 15 yards.

Brown said that the Huskies' defense wasn't very solid in the first 15 minutes, but that it pulled together after that.

"They're a good team," Brown said. "I feel the second half we played well. We had just as many opportunities as they did."

Reno had a good look in the 55th minute off a corner kick, but Fishburn was able to clear the ball out of danger. About two minutes later, Maggie Boucher missed wide right.

The only good scoring opportunity the rest of the game came in the 74th minute when Musselman hit the crossbar.

Carson's defense was rock solid again. Roser praised the play of Natalie Stevens, Emily Field, Allison Cowan and Nicole Updegrove . Reno's players got very few good looks and nothing made it past goalie Kenzie Tillitt.

"Our entire back four should be first team (all-league)," Roser said. "We've only given up nine goals all year."