CAMAS — It took a perfect shot from a player who missed most of the season for the Camas girls soccer team to beat Union on Tuesday at Doc Harris Stadium.
Senior Fiona Samodurova found the target in the 31st minute, providing the only goal in a win that gives Camas its sixth consecutive league title.
Camas finished the regular season with 14 wins, one loss and one draw, 10-1-1 atop the 4A GSHL. The Papermakers will next play in a district semifinal match at 6 p.m. Monday at McKenzie Stadium, and are guaranteed to be one of the league’s two entries in the state tournament.
Union is 11-2-2 overall, 7-2-2 and third in the 4A GSHL with one match left on Thursday.
A back injury kept Samodurova on the sideline until two weeks ago. This was only her fourth game of the season, and she was in a wing position rather than the midfield role she had played in past Camas seasons.
The senior maneuvered her way into the top left corner of the penalty area and lofted a right-footed shot over the reach of Union goalkeeper Mo Spieth.
“I always like to cut in to get some more space and then shoot,” Samodurova said.
When she hit the shot she thought it was heading over the goal. When she saw it hit the net, “I was so happy. I just wanted to celebrate with my team.”
The goal came in the 121st minute of play this season between Union and Camas, two determined defensive teams that played to a scoreless draw in the first round of league play.
The Papermakers put pressure on the Titans’ defense for significant stretches of the match, and would have won more comfortably if not for the play of Spieth, who made seven of her nine saves in the second half.
“Give Union credit,” Camas coach Roland Minder said. “Their goalkeeper, she’s by far the best in the league. She is phenomenal.”
The Titans also showed their grit by blocking a number of Camas shots from inside the penalty area that might have further tested Spieth. But the play of Camas defensive midfielders, led by senior Rylee MacDonald, made it difficult for Union to build any consistent possession.
“I’m proud of the effort my team gave. They gave it their all, and that’s all you can ask for,” Union coach Kelcey Burris said.
The Titans had one high-quality chance on a first-half counter attack. Alex Sanders took a shot from 15 yards that zipped just high after Isabelle Morales broke free behind the Camas defense.
Camas was playing its first home game in a month after playing its first five league matches at home.
The Papermakers allowed only two goals in league play, both in last week’s 2-1 loss to Skyview.
This is the sixth year in a row that Camas has won or shared a league title in girls soccer. It is the program’s 14th league title overall, and the ninth in Minder’s 12 seasons as head coach.
Samodurova said the team remembers last season, when two district tournament losses ended the season despite being league champions.
“Last year, I feel like we were all worn out at this point. But I feel like right now we’re all rested, we’re all healthy, so we’re ready to go,” she said.
