CRANKING A PASS — Fairmont Area striker Kennedy Becker plants and drills the soccer ball past Stewartville defender Kayla Byrne (19) during Section 2A semifinal action Saturday at Kot Soccer Complex in Fairmont. The Cardinals’ Melia Menth (back center) and the Tigers’ Avery Nelson (25) trail the action. (Photo by Greg Abel)

FAIRMONT — The No. 7-seeded Stewartville Tigers continued their role as Section 2A girls soccer underdogs by edging the No. 3-seeded Fairmont Area Cardinals, 3-2, during Saturday’s semifinal at Kot Soccer Complex.

Stewartville, who finished the regular season with a 1-13-1 overall record, opened the sectional playoffs by ousting No. 2-seeded Tri-City United by a 4-2 quarterfinal decision two nights earlier.

The Tigers will look for a third consecutive upset win against No. 1-seeded Pine City/Zumbrota Mazeppa in the Section 2 championship match at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Wescott Field in Austin. PIZM eliminated No. 4-seeded Albert Lea via a 5-1 semifinal decision on Saturday.

“We do have a tough schedule during the regular season and that does help from a competitive standpoint,” Stewartville head coach Elliot Chapman said in reference to four of the Tigers’ losses — three to Class AA programs and one to a Class AAA school, “but in reality, we got off to a slow start due to injuries. We were banged up a bit early in the season.

“It took a while to figure out our formations and where our personnel fit, but it seems to be clicking now.”

Ironically, sophomore Olivia Meyer, who’s listed as a defender on the sectional program, displayed her speed from a forward position to deliver the Tigers’ initial goal of the semifinal in Fairmont.

Savannah Hedin launched a lead pass ahead to a breaking Meyer, who settled the ball on the run before driving the center of the field. Meyer triggered her kick from 15 yards out and into the top right shelf of the webbing for a 1-0 lead at the 36:37 juncture.

Junior striker Kennedy Becker, who produced a hat trick in the Cardinals’ 3-0 sectional quarterfinal win over Cannon Falls two nights earlier, continued her torrid point-producing ways less than 6 minutes later.

Abbie Simpson nailed a shot that ricocheted off a Tiger defender and Becker alertly drilled the carom into the net for the equalizer at the 30:55 mark of the opening half.

Junior midfielder Jayda Ramaker then triggered another Stewartville breakaway opportunity by lacing a crossing pass from the right wing to Meghan Urban near the point. Urban did not hesitate and kicked a riser that Fairmont Area netkeeper Madi Stromberg leaped and got her fingertips on, but the strong spin on the ball carried it into the twine for a 2-1 edge at the 9:22 mark.

Meyer then produced her game-best second goal of the playoff clash with an athletic display of tenacity with time winding down in the first half. Meyer rushed the left wing, had the ball temporarily stolen by the Cardinals’ Bella Larson, only to swipe it back. Meyer quickly uncorked her chip shot just over Stromberg’s hands and under the crossbar for a 3-1 Tigers’ lead at the 2:05 mark.

Meyer’s second goal held up in the end as Becker inched the Cardinals within one by netting the only goal of the entire second half.

Grace Simpson weaved her way along the right wing and delivered a near-perfect pass to Becker. Becker curled a precision hook shot between the right post and Tiger goalie Samantha Jagusch to trim Fairmont Area’s deficit to 3-2 with 13:16 remaining in regulation.

Becker nearly tied the game twice during the final 10 minutes, but just couldn’t get the proper bounce or spin to find the twine.

Stromberg closed out her prep career between the posts by recording a game-high six saves for the Cardinals, while Jagusch turned away two shots on net.

“Stewartville just had too much speed and were able to track down everything and get behind our back line,” said Fairmont Area head coach Matt Nielsen, whose lineup ended the season with a 5-12-1 overall record. “When we worked the edge, we had success, but we just didn’t get there as much as we would’ve liked.”

Stewartville    3-0–3

Fairmont         1-1–2

Scoring Plays

1st Half

STW–Olivia Meyer (Savannah Hedin), 36:37.

FMT–Kennedy Becker (Abbie Simpson), 30:55.

STW–Meghan Urban (Jayda Ramaker), 9:22.

STW–Olivia Meyer (unassisted), 2:05.

2nd Half

FMT–Kennedy Becker (Grace Simpson), 13:16.

Shots on goal: Fairmont Area 2-2–4; Stewartville 5-4–9. Corners: Stewartville 3; Fairmont Area 2.

Saves: Madi Stromberg (FMT) 6; Samantha Jagusch (STW) 2.

•

Boys Soccer

Pine Island/Zumbrota-Mazeppa 6, Fairmont Area 0 — C.J. Tree produced three goals and one assist to steer the Class A No. 5-ranked and top-seeded Wildcats to a six-goal win over the No. 4-seeded Cardinals during Section 2 semifinal action Saturday night in Pine Island.

PIZM (12-2-2) advances to face No. 3-seeded Tri-City United in the 5 p.m. sectional championship on Thursday at Wescott Field in Austin. TCU defeated No. 2-seeded Southwest Minnesota Christian in a shootout after finishing regulation knotted at 3-all.

Fairmont Area ended its season with a 6-9-3 overall record.

Seth Konik supplied one goal and one assist to the Wildcats’ winning ways, while Ben Murray and Sven Oberg added solo goals.