Willis’ hat trick lifts Argos past Culver

Villegas, Banks score for Lady Cavs, but Lady Dragons advance to sectional semis

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Girls soccer

Hayna Willis had a hat trick, including the go-ahead goal in the 42nd minute that gave Argos a 3-2 lead, as the No. 17 Lady Dragons beat Culver in a Class 1A, Sectional 35 quarterfinal at Argos Tuesday.

Ivy Stackhouse, Samnatha Umbaugh and Lilly Hines also scored for Argos, who rallied from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits.

Argos came into the game with a 5-10-1 regular season record, and they lost their final three games of the regular season.

But Willis scored the equalizer in the 38th minute, and the game was tied 2-2 at halftime. Then she added the go-ahead goal.

Umbaugh’s right-footed shot with 31:50 left gave Argos a 4-2 lead.

A long-range boot from Hines in the top right corner of the net made it 5-2 with 15:28 left. Thirty-six seconds later, Willis snuck a low shot between Culver goalkeeper Katie Schouten and the right post to complete the scoring.

Giselle Villegas and Kassidy Banks scored for Culver (13-3-1). Villegas’ goal with 15:27 left in the first half was her 49th and Culver’s 100th goal of the season.

Villegas and Banks combined to score 78 of Culver’s 101 goals for the season.

Culver came into the game on a 10-game unbeaten streak in which they had outscored their opponents 70-6.

Argos will play No. 7 Trinity Greenlawn in the semifinals. Trinity Greenlawn handled Rochester 9-0 in Tuesday’s other quarterfinal.