Eija Jensen is an NAU School of Communication student assigned to cover Northland Preparatory Academy for AZPreps365.com 

The Northland Preparatory Academy girls soccer team completed its sixth shutout in a row, advancing to the state semifinal with a 4-0 win over Show Low High School on Oct. 28 at Lumberjack Stadium on the NAU campus.

The Spartans had previously played the Cougars on Sept. 26, with the game ending in a tie at 2-2. With both teams having familiarity with each other, NPA used that to their advantage. 

In the first half of the match, the Spartans used their patience to find runs and put more shots on goal. The score stayed 0-0 until early in the second half, making the stadium erupt with cheering fans.

Three of the four goals came from sophomores Emery Blair and Brooke Schurch. Senior Maren Skelton added another.

With a change of momentum in the second half, the keeper deflecting anything for a full 80 minutes, and her defense staying solid under pressure, the Spartans found their way to a shutout win. 

“We really worked, like did the runs that we were working on, and really found the backside," Blair said. "Because, yeah, we've been really stressing runs in practice, in the front, in the first half, I think we're a little nervous and, like, still shaken up. And then we really locked into the second half and got it done.”

Coach Keith Hovis said the Spartans keep the pressure on throughout the first half, and that helped spark NPA in the second half.

“I think we wore them out," he said. "I mean, that's happened before, but our shots weren't very good either. Our keeper played amazing, so she stopped everything in the first half, and so then the shots had to be better. We scored on a corner, which is crazy. So, that helped. I think it built our confidence, and it wore them out at the same time, and then we can just build on that.”

After the first goal was scored, NPA started its rhythm and didn’t stop. From outside of the 18-yard line, Blair made a goal that stretched over the players and into the back of the net. 

“Their two was caught out, so their right defense was caught out near the flag, and their four, five were both on the far side of the goal," Blair said. "And I just took a touch and just shot it.”

The NPA girls' endurance at 7,000 feet proved to be too much for the Show Low to handle. With the Spartans' defense staying firm, they denied any scoring opportunities from the Cougars, extending their shutout streak.

“When our offense has confidence, they keep the ball," he said. "And so then our defense, we get teams tired, and then we play back, and then our defense keeps the ball, and then we're not worried, I mean, we don't feel pressure. I guess that's the big difference. ... They want to have the ball at their feet.”