COTTAGE GROVE, Minn. -- Lakeville South entered the Minnesota high school girls soccer tournament as one of the highest-scoring teams in the state.
The Cougars scored80 goals in 19 games, led by a pair of Division I recruits.
But it was their defense that helped them gain a 2-0 victory over Duluth East in a Class AA quarterfinal Thursday night at Park High School.
Goalkeeper Lindi Steffan made eight saves, and Emily Weimelt and Krista Lundgren each scored goals to send the Cougars (18-2) into a semifinal Monday against Robbinsdale Armstrong at the Metrodome in Minneapolis.
"We didn't play our best game and we're still in the semifinals," Cougars coach Dan Flood said.
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Weimelt's goal in the fifth minute, off a perfect crossing pass from Kelsey Bertamus, set the tone.
"We were hoping to come out strong in the first couple minutes," said Lundgren, who was named the Minneapolis Star Tribune's Metro Player of the Year and is headed to the University of Wisconsin. "That first goal really helped us get going and get the other team down."
East (15-7) started off better in the second half, pressuring Steffan, but fell behind 2-0 in the 51st minute. Bertamus, who is bound for Northwestern University, sent a crossing pass off the outstretched fingers of East goalie Jackie Reinemann, onto the right foot of Lundgren. She buried the shot for her 23rd goal of the season.
"The bottom line is their big guns scored, and we couldn't break through their defense," East coach Shawn Roed said. "We had a couple of opportunities in front where there were scrambles and we easily could have put one away, but sometimes you don't get the breaks."
The Greyhounds' best chance came on a corner kick with 16 minutes left, but a header was cleared off the goal line to preserve the two-goal lead.
"I was proud of how we played, especially in the second half," Roed said. "I thought we played with a lot more heart."
Lakeville South entered the game knowing this has been a state tournament full of upsets. Eighth-seeded St. Cloud Cathedral and No. 5 Duluth Marshall won Class A boys games Wednesday, and the No. 7-seeded Robbinsdale Armstrong girls topped Eastview -- which had handed the Cougars one of their two defeats -- 1-0 in double overtime in the quarterfinal preceding the East game.
Flood told his players beforehand to not take the Greyhounds lightly.
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"The state tournament is funny," he said. "They are here for a reason, no one stumbles into the state tournament. Duluth East plays the toughest schedule in the state every year, so they're prepared for this."
Duluth East 0-0--0
Lakeville South 1-1--2
First half -- 1. LS, Emily Weimelt (Kelsey Bertamus), 5th minute.
Second half -- 2. Krista Lundgren (Bertamus), 51st.
Saves -- Jackie Reinemann, DE, 7 Lindi Steffan, LS, 8.
