Girls give Belgrade taste of same medicine

It took a little while, but the Columbia Falls girls soccer team rolled through the first round of the playoffs last week, dropping Belgrade 5-0.

Belgrade came out hard early on, but Kim Pearce got the Cats in a groove when she scored at the 37-minute mark on a direct kick from just outside the box.

Then three minutes later, Lisa Carter stuck one in on a little slant shot and the flood gates opened. Carter ended up with a hat trick and Jessica Boyer scored as well to blank Belgrade. Carter now has 23 goals on the year.

The weather certainly played a role in the game. At times it was downpour, and the girls were just trying to keep warm as much as play soccer, said coach Greg Trenerry.

"Beating Belgrade 5-0 is good. Belgrade was coming at us hard. It was a good win, especially under those conditions," he said. "Belgrade is a physical team."

Once again the Kats played great defense, anchored by Cassie Stoneman and Michelle Valov.

The win preserves the Kats' home field advantage as well. They now face Hamilton, a team they beat just 1-0 earlier this year.

"Hamilton will be tough," Trenerry said. "We just have to win the ball. We have to want it more than they do."

Hamilton blanked Livingston 2-0 to advance. Game time against Hamilton is noon.

Columbia Falls 5,Belgrade 0

Belgrade 0 0 — 0

Columbia Falls 2 3 — 5

Columbia Falls — Kim Pearce, 37:00; Lisa Carter (Pearce), 40:00; Carter (Amber Lampman), 52:00; Jessica Boyer (Carter), 58:00; Carter, 62:00.

Fouls — Belgrade 6, Columbia Falls 8; Cards — None; Shots - Belgrade 5, Columbia Falls 25; Corner kicks — Belgrade 1, Columbia Falls 9; Goalie saves — Belgrade 18 (Emma Messinger and Mari Messenger), Columbia Falls 3 (Vanessa Alamanza 2, Colyne Hislop 1).