LIBERTY FAILS TO CONVERT ON SEVERAL CHANCES

0 Comments | Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Nov 4, 2009 | by Scott Kaniewski

It took 107 minutes to decide a winner. For the Boulder boys' soccer team, it was the perfect time.

Striker Walter Bertini's shot from 30 yards in double overtime gave the No.?14 Panthers a 1-0 win over No. 3 Liberty in the second round of the Class 5A state playoffs Tuesday night at District 20 Stadium.

Bertini's strike glanced off goalie Dillon Shook's hand and found the back of the net 2 minutes, 53 seconds shy of a penalty-kick shootout.

The Lancers (11-4-2) seemed to control the game, owning the midfield and getting numerous chances inside the penalty box. But Liberty put nine shots wide or over the net, including several from close range.

"We've had other scoreless games where we outshot the opponent by a two-to-one margin, and we just couldn't find the back of the net," coach Mike Goyden said.

The first overtime belonged to the goalies. Shook denied Bertini in the 90th minute, diving to his right on the forward's shot. Boulder goalie Garrett Spenst made a great kick save with less than a minute to play in the first extra period, stopping Scott McGillivray on a low shot.

No. 4 Abraham Lincoln 2,

No. 13 Air Academy 1 (2OT)

At Denver: Geno Bigelow scored to give the Kadets (12-5) the lead, but Lincoln tied it in the final 30 seconds.