ENGLEWOOD, Colo.-
Hannah Peterson scored off a corner kick in the 95th minute Tuesday, and Mullen won its first Class 5A state girls soccer championship with a 1-0 overtime victory over Cherry Creek at Englewood High School.
As time was expiring in the first overtime, Brittany Kerridge lobbed a corner kick from the right side into the box. After a mad scramble for the ball, Peterson managed to shoot it by Bruins goalkeeper Paige Kramer.
Cherry Creek’s players stood deflated, looking to the officials to determine whether the goal counted.
The win came a year after Mullen lost 1-0 in overtime to Arapahoe in the 5A title game.
Seventh-seeded Mullen (14-5-1) also avenged the two losses it suffered earlier this season in Continental League play to rival and fourth-seeded Cherry Creek (15-4-2). The Mustangs, which completed their second season competing in Class 5A, won their fourth girls soccer championship and the first since taking back-to-back titles in 2001 and ’02. Mullen’s other championship came in 1998.
Cherry Creek, which won the 2001 5A championship, was stellar defensively for most of the game, consistently turning away Mullen’s pressure offense. Kramer had five saves, keeping a close eye on Mullen junior Danielle Foxhoven, who scored five goals in the tournament.
Foxhoven had at least three scoring chances in regulation, but her shots either went wide or Kramer turned her away.
Mullen used two goalies in the game. Christina Palomino started, making three saves. Annie Tooley, who played the entire 2006 championship game, made three saves in the second half for Mullen.
There were five corner kicks in the game, all coming from the Mustangs.
This was the third straight year in which the Class 5A girls soccer championship was decided in overtime.
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