GREEN RIVER — Fueled by early aggression, clutch goals, and a gritty defensive stand, the Green River Lady Wolves pulled off a stunning 3-2 upset over No. 1-seeded Kelly Walsh on Friday morning to advance to the 4A West Regional Soccer Championship.
Playing in front of a home crowd at Wolves Stadium, the Lady Wolves brought intensity from the opening whistle and never backed down in a physical, emotional battle that secured them a spot in Saturday’s title game and a top-two seed at next week’s state tournament.
Fast Start, Quick Response
Green River controlled possession for the majority of the first 10 minutes, setting the tone with relentless pressure. Junior Isa Vasco earned the first of her three free-kick attempts in the 8th minute, though the Lady Trojans’ defense denied her early opportunity.
Kelly Walsh responded with a goal in the 13th minute, capitalizing on a brief lapse in Green River’s backline to take a 1-0 lead.
Despite the early deficit, the Lady Wolves kept pushing. With just 1:44 left in the first half, freshman Brookelyn Phillips delivered a pinpoint corner kick that senior Claira Kuball knocked in to tie the game 1-1 heading into halftime.
Momentum Shift After Break
Coming out of the break, Green River wasted no time reclaiming momentum. Just 90 seconds into the second half, Vasco found the back of the net to give the Lady Wolves a 2-1 advantage, and the home crowd erupted.
But the game turned even more physical as the teams battled for a spot in the championship. Vasco received a yellow card with 34 minutes left, forcing her off the field briefly. In her absence, the Lady Trojans took advantage and tied the game at 2-2 just over three minutes later.
Undeterred, Vasco returned and continued to create opportunities. After missing a second free-kick attempt wide left, she was fouled in the box with 23:38 to play. She calmly converted the penalty kick — her second goal of the day — to give Green River a 3-2 lead.
Late Defensive Stand Seals the Win
Following Vasco’s go-ahead score, head coach Matthew Robles’ adjustments paid off as Green River shifted both Vasco and Phillips to defensive roles to protect the lead. The change worked to perfection.
The Lady Wolves shut down Kelly Walsh’s attack for the final stretch, aided by a red card issued to a Kelly Walsh player after a hard foul on Green River senior Olivia Morris. Morris exited the game and did not return. Her status for Saturday’s final remains uncertain.
Green River held firm through the final whistle, completing the upset and punching their ticket to the regional title game.
What’s Next
The Lady Wolves will play for the 4A West regional championship at 1 p.m. Saturday at Wolves Stadium. Their opponent will be the winner of Friday’s Riverton vs. Jackson semifinal, which was set for 2 p.m.
