Lady 'Dogs prep for playoffs

The Lady Bulldogs soccer team may have picked the opportune time to finally lose.

Riding a nine-game winning streak, Whitefish finally fell in a conference game Saturday with rival Columbia Falls. The ‘Kats posted two late goals at home to finish off the ‘Dogs 3-1.

The two squads ended the regular season with identical conference records. However, because Whitefish topped Columbia Falls 3-0 earlier, they held the tiebreaker over the ‘Kats for the No. 1 seed in the state tournament, deeming the loss irrelevant.

“I’m OK with the loss,” Whitefish coach Erin Morrison said. “It didn’t hurt us, and it brings us down to earth a little. It makes us realize that we have to fight for every game. We can’t take any team for granted.”

The coach said she gives Columbia Falls credit in their winning effort.

“It was a battle and evenly matched, but they took it to us in the last 15 minutes,” Morrison said. “They wanted it more. I don’t know if our steam ran out or what. They deserved to win.”

Columbia Falls scored first when Danielle Delventhal put in a goal in the 10th minute. Caroline Carbo countered for Whitefish early in the second half, but the ‘Kats were too much down the stretch. They hit the net twice — at the 70th and 74th minute.

Now that the pressure of the winning streak is gone, Morrison hopes the team will learn from their mistakes at Columbia Falls and get prepared for the playoffs. The ‘Dogs host Stevensville in the opening round, a team they easily topped 9-0 early this season.

“Now we’re focused on Stevensville, and that’s all we’re thinking about,” Morrison said. “It’s do or die in the playoffs. This is what we have worked so hard for.”

Whitefish won’t study the tape from the win at Stevensville because Morrison says it’s likely going to be a much more competitive match this go-around.

“That win means nothing,” she said. “They had players out with injuries, and they’ve been improving.”

She expects the seniors to lead Whitefish through the playoffs as they have during the regular season.

“I want the seniors to come off the field with no regrets,” Morrison said. “I want them to really lay it all out. This is their last shot, so I want them to play their hearts out.”

The match with Stevensville is slated for Saturday at 2 p.m. at Smith Fields.