Iowa City Regina Advances to State Soccer Final in Thriller
DES MOINES Iowa City Regina is heading back to the state championship game. The Regals secured their spot in the finals with a hard fought 1-0 victory over West Central Valley on June 4 at Mediacom Stadium. The match came down to penalty kicks, where midfielder Evan Greve stepped into the goalie role and delivered the game winning save. This marks the ninth time the Regals have reached the state finals.
A Clutch Save Seals the Victory
The match remained scoreless through regulation and two overtime periods, pushing the game into a tense penalty shootout. Regina converted three of their first five attempts. West Central Valley had a chance to win it on their fifth kick, but Aiden Clauson hit the crossbar to keep the Regals alive at 3-3. Kevyn Dominguez and Jackson Kopecky buried their shots for Regina. Then, Greve made a spectacular save against Garret Wolfe to secure the 5-4 shootout win and send Iowa City Regina to Friday's title game.
Relentless Pressure Meets a Brick Wall
Regina's high powered offense created plenty of chances early, but West Central Valley goalkeeper Mason Fortney stood tall. He made eight saves in the first half alone to keep the game level at 0-0. The Regals kept the pressure on in the second half, but the Wildcats packed their defense to disrupt the attack. In the second overtime, Regina senior Laird Holden had two prime scoring opportunities, but Fortney denied him both times.