Lady Dogs dig in to edge Blue Devils

The Lady Bulldogs pulled out a 2-0 win over Corvallis on Saturday in the quarter-finals of the state Class A playoffs behind a gritty all-around effort.

Whitefish (11-3-0) tallied within the first two minutes on a goal by Becca Holdhusen. The freshman put a good foot on her shot that sailed past a diving keeper into the upper-left corner of the net.

“Becca was at the right place at the right time and she put the right foot on it,” Whitefish coach Wendy Farrens said. “In a playoff game everyone is a little nervous, so getting a goal right away calmed our nerves and settle us down.”

Corvallis put up a good fight and had chance to equalize but Whitefish’s defense — led by an outstanding game from keeper Piper Greenwood — kept the Blue Devils in check.

“Piper’s been a solid backstop all season and she really came out strong,” Farrens said.

A late strike from junior Christina Holtvedt sealed the deal for Whitefish. Her free kick from 25 yards out kissed the bottom edge of the crossbar before bouncing into the net.

“Set pieces have become key for us, and obviously that one sealed our fate,” Farrens said. “Christina trained as a goalkeeper, so she sees the field well and knows where to put the ball on shots.”

With Holtvedt playing stopper, junior Caroline Carbo was able to move into a more offensive position.

“From there she’s able to take great shots and get the ball to our forwards,” Farrens said.

Whitefish travels to Billings Central for a semi-finals showdown Saturday with the four-time defending state Class A champs. The Rams topped Whitefish in the 2010 state Class A finals and most recently beat the Dogs 5-1 early last season.

Billings topped Frenchtown 6-0 in the quarter-finals last week.

“It’s tough going on the road, especially to Billings,” Farrens said. “But the pressure is on them. It’s good to be the underdog in this case.”

Farrens said anything can happen on the pitch as the Lady Dogs seek a major upset.

Anna Peterson and Ella Kobelt both sat out Saturday’s game with injuries and are listed as day-to-day.

On the other side of the playoff bracket, Columbia Falls faces Park High.

Corvallis 0 0 – 0

Whitefish 1 1 – 2

W – Becca Holdhusen (Caroline Carbo), 2:00

W – Susanna Hoglund, 73:00

Shots – Corvallis 4, Whitefish 30. Saves – Corvallis 18 (Roxy Rademacher), Whitefish 4 (Piper Greenwood). Corner kicks – Corvallis 3, Whitefish 4. Total fouls – Corvallis 7, Whitefish 6. Yellow cards – none. Red cards – none.