Karly Conolly never will forget her first career penalty kick.
The junior, a bundle of nerves and confidence, made the Lakers’ first sudden-death penalty kick to beat Snow Canyon 5-4 on PKs Friday and advance to the Class 4A state title game.
“I knew that I had it in my hands, and if I make it, we are going to the championship,” Conolly said. “So I made sure I had no doubt, and I knew I was going to make it.
“You can’t even explain the feeling. It was honestly amazing.”
It was the second consecutive PK victory for the Lakers, who eliminated Green Canyon in the quarterfinals. Bonneville meets Sky View in Saturday’s 11 a.m. final at Rio Tinto Stadium.
PLAYER OF THE GAME <br>After coming close in the fourth and fifth rounds of penalty kicks, Bonneville junior goalkeeper Ashley Croyle finally got her hands on a shot in the sudden-death round to earn her second consecutive PK victory.
Conolly’s winner came moments after Lakers goalkeeper Ashley Croyle made her lone PK save and redeemed herself for a mistake in the 54th minute that allowed Snow Canyon to tie the game at 1-1.
“All the work that we’ve done all came down to this moment, and if I didn’t stop that ball, I was letting my whole team down,” Croyle said. “I had to keep up my part.”
Bonneville’s lone goal in regulation came in the 41st minute on the foot of Izzy Togisala. But Snow Canyon’s Tylei Jensen tied it when she sent a high-arcing shot from 25 yards out that Croyle misplayed and barely got a hand on before it sneaked under the crossbar.
“That was my fault, that goal,” Croyle said. “This was the least I could do to make it up to my team.”
Penalty kicks are a new experience for the Lakers, but they have taken to the pressure just fine. Bonneville coach Rob McDonald said his teams never had gone to PKs in nine years at the school. That includes a 2012 state title run.
Bonneville has made 10 of its 11 attempts over the two shootouts.