The Cook Inlet Academy coed soccer team finished off the regular season of their fall schedule Saturday with a win and a tie to secure the top seed in next weekend’s Borealis Conference tournament.
CIA played Holy Rosary Academy to a 2-2 draw Friday, then defeated Birchwood Christian 5-3 to grab the top seed in the Borealis South division, and second seed overall.
Friday, the Eagles had to deal with several key absences, leading to a quick score by Holy Rosary in the seventh minute. CIA responded with a goal by 18th minute by Breona Delon, who scored on a rebound by a shot taken by Noah Leaf.
Holy Rosary scored to retake the lead 10 minutes later to stake out a 2-1 lead by halftime.
“At halftime, we sorted out a few things and our captains calmed the team down,” wrote coach Kenny Leaf in an email. “We felt like we were in a good place.”
CIA broke through in the 54th minute with a 25-yard chip over the goalkeeper from sophomore James Anderson, who was set up by Delon for the tying score.
Coach Leaf praised the efforts of Delon, who has been battling through a kidney infection in the days prior to the weekend.
“For her to even step on the field is sheer guts,” Leaf said. “To get a goal and an assist in her condition is incredible.”
Saturday, Noah Leaf opened the scoring in the 28th minute, then added a second goal two minutes later to push the lead to 2-0. Leaf completed his hat trick with a goal in the 42nd minute, getting an assist from Hunter Moos.
Birchwood Christian scored a pair of unanswered goals in the second half to cut the lead to 3-2, but CIA iced the win with goals from Moos and Kate Zimmerman, the latter of whom converted on a penalty kick after a Birchwood defender was charged with a hand ball in the box.
With the win, CIA finished 6-1-1 in the conference.
The Borealis Conference tournament will run Sept. 29 through Oct. 1 at the Kenai Sports Complex.
