Fallon’s Shealyn Snodgrass and her teammates open the Northern 3A regional tournament on Thursday.
The Lady Wave soccer team is heading to the postseason for the first time in six years.
Despite losing both matches to Elko and Spring Creek on the road, Fallon got help from its cross-valley rival Fernley, which upset Lowry earlier in the week.
Fallon finished third at 4-4-2 in the 3A East and will take on No. 2 Wooster/South Tahoe from the West division in Thursday’s playoff opener at 3 p.m. at Lowry High School in Winnemucca. The winner faces No. 1 Spring Creek on Friday at 2 p.m. The championship is Saturday at noon with both teams going to next week’s state tournament in Las Vegas.
Fallon dropped a 4-2 decision to Elko on Wednesday before falling 2-1 to Spring Creek on Thursday. The Greenwave boys fell to Elko, 3-1, and Spring Creek, 2-1, before tying Dayton, 1-1, to end the season at 2-6-2.
The Lady Indians possessed the ball early in front of Fallon’s frame, leading to a shot that missed wide by junior Peyton Jacaway and a corner kick. The Lady Indians launched a long direct kick, but the shot off the foot of junior Bianca Gonzalez missed wide to the right.
On the other end, Fallon began to have success with charges toward Elko’s frame — generally made by senior Sydney Gusewelle — but the Lady Greenwave had some bad touches on the ball during potential scoring chances.
Elko freshman keeper Yanira Garcia made several stops as she advanced from the goal, stemming runs and gathering another on a long throw-in from Gusewelle.
In the 16th minute, the Lady Indians found the scoreboard first.
Fallon was issued a foul just outside the box, and Jacaway arched a direct kick from the left wing to the opposite-right corner of the net. After an Elko direct kick, Fallon flipped the field with a strong push down the left side by Gusewelle — who drew a foul in the Lady Indians’ box — her penalty kick in the 18th minute tying the score 1-1. Gusewelle had the lone goal against Spring Creek.
Elko created kicks by sophomore Ryinn Hatch — which was saved by the Fallon goalie — and Jacaway on a free kick, missing wide to the left. As the half progressed, the Lady Indians’ passes and touches fell off dramatically — directly leading to more Fallon chances.
At times, Elko’s defense became scattered but survived numerous advances to its frame — Garcia reading plays well and moving into position before harm occurred. Jacaway missed a shot high, but the Lady Indians took a 2-1 advantage in the 33rd minute on a direct kick.
The initial boot by Gonzalez wound up in the possession of Hatch, who tagged a shot from the right edge off the crossbar — the ball bouncing beyond the end line but the play continuing without a whistle. Sophomore Emely Castaneda showed great awareness and hustle, flying in from the weak side for a follow-up score on the left.
Near the end of the half, the Lady Wave earned a corner kick — the booted headed out of the box by Castaneda and the rebound try by Fallon sophomore Kira Johnston plucked out of the air by Garcia.
At the break, Elko led 2-1.
Immediately after the reset, the Lady Indians had a kick saved by Fallon’s keeper and the Lady Wave hit a shot into the outside of Elko’s frame from the left side.
Elko nearly scored on a cross from the right side by Jacaway, but Castaneda’s header bounced down and away from the net — Fallon senior Sydney Jarrett clearing the ball out of the box in front of a rebound try by junior Carly Nielsen. Jacaway hit a nice direct kick, but the Fallon keeper made a leaping grab at the left post. The Lady Wave also earned a direct kick, but the ball sent by senior Rachel Mori was bodied by a teammate and grasped by Garcia.
Elko got off several shots in return, a ball by Jacaway saved by the keeper — another kick also stuffed and scooped up by the goalie. Following a series of throw-ins, Jacaway gained possession of a loose ball but pushed a kick over the frame.
The Lady Indians had a string of poor touches, leading to a shot from long distance on the right side by Gusewelle — who crossed her kick wide to the left. Elko allowed another kick from inside the box, but the ball trickled wide to the left once again.
Garcia came forward on a nice long ball and made a grab just as a runner arrived, and the Lady Indians had consecutive chances to score — sophomore Abi Ramirez nearly following a free kick from Jacaway and making another run down the middle — but the goalie advanced and grabbed the ball on each occasion.
With less than 15 minutes remaining, Fallon tied the contest.
Gusewelle scored from the right side with a cross to the left side of the net, making the tally 2-2.
To Elko’s credit, when the Lady Indians were challenged — they made a positive response.
With eight minutes on the clock, Ramirez beat the Lady Wave down the field to a ball at the far-right edge of the box.
With Fallon’s keeper stuck between coming out of the frame and staying back, Ramirez used the hesitation to her advantage — lining her kick into the opposite-left corner across the goalie’s face for a 3-2 lead.
Elko Daily’s Anthony Mori contributed to this story.
