(St. George, UT) – Desert Hills and Pine View fought it out for two overtime periods on top of regulation play Thursday night at Panthers’ Stadium, and when the dust settled, a tie was the result.

The 0-0 outcome helped make much of the Region 9 girls’ soccer standings closer.

Host Pine View (3-1-1, 3-4-1 overall) and the visiting Desert Hills’ team (2-2-1, 4-4-1 overall) went back and forth putting many quality shots on each other’s goals, making the fans, and players raise up with great excitement in anticipation of a goal. However, many of those people who rose up from their sitting position, ended up lowering themselves in disappointed sighs— caused from the great goal keeping by both sides.

For Pine View it was Tayosha Turek and Kayla Hammond who kept a clear goal for the combined shutout.

Turek started the game and played the entire first half, but then suffered an injury that caused her to sit down at halftime. Hammond spelled Turek, went the rest of the 60 minutes, and upheld the no-goal standard.

Pine View coach Sam Johnston has a pair of capable keepers, and that asset was something the Panthers cashed in on.

“Kayla did a great job coming in for Tayosha,” Johnston said. “She stopped a lot of high shots.”

Desert Hills’ keeper Janessa Houston was not out-performed by the Panther duo. Houston stopped many close shots and was responsible for many of the groans from the crowd.

Desert Hills coach Shaley Allen has seen her team progress the last few weeks and Houston’s play against the attacking Panthers’ offense was an example of one of the components why the team has been playing well.

“She was awesome tonight,” Allen said. “Huge saves; huge saves for us.”

The junior keeper appreciated the competition and the effort her team put forth.

“This was a fun game to play in,” Houston said. “There was a lot of action that kept your adrenaline going.

“Playing Pine View is a good challenge and we like challenges.”

Houston did what no other keeper had done this season—hold Pine View scoreless. The feat was not lost on her.

“I like getting the shutout,” Houston said.

Playing to a tie is a challenge in itself, but both coaches found good in their team’s play.

“Granted you always want to come away with a win, but it’s the effort you want to see as a coach,” Allen said. “I am happy with our girls’ effort tonight.”

Pine View’s coach echoed Allen’s sentiment.

“There are worse things than ties,” Johnston said. “We’re disappointed in getting a tie at home, we feel like we gave away two points [in standings], but it was a tough game.

“Both teams played tough defense.”

Pine View the last two years has an impressive 14-3-1 record in the month of September.

Johnston was asked after the game if he has some kind of method that he will use on this year’s team to further that success.

“I’m hoping that’s a trend,” A laughing Johnston said. “We usually finish strong. The region is going to come clear down to the end, and hopefully we come out on top a few times.”

IN OTHER REGION 9 ACTION THURSDAY NIGHT:

Cedar finished a 2-0 week by handing the Dixie Flyers its first loss 4-1. The Lady Reds (4-1, 6-3 overall) beat Snow Canyon on Tuesday and with the win over the Flyers (3-1, 7-1 overall) hold the top spot just slightly.

Brindley Oldroyd registered two goals and the Lady Reds tallied three goals in the first half to jump on Dixie early.

K.T. Kastanes and Makayla Warby also scored goals for Cedar, and Aubri Challis scored a first half goal for the Flyers.

Hurricane (1-4, 4-4 overall) won its first region contest over visiting Canyon View 1-0. Shantae Bowen put the Tigers up in the first half and it held. Tigers’ keeper Bailee Hirschi kept the Falcons (0-6, 2-8 overall) out of the net.

REGION 9 GIRLS SOCCER STANDINGS:

Cedar 4-1 (6-3 overall)

Dixie 3-1-1 (7-1)

Snow Canyon 3-1-1 (5-2)

Pine View 3-1-1 (3-4-1)

Desert Hills 2-2-1 (4-4-1)

Hurricane 1-4 (4-4)

Canyon View 0-6 (2-8)

E-mail: develon.isom@kcsg.com

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