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In their most nail-biting game of the season, the two-time defending state champion girls soccer team suffered a heartbreaking 4–3 upset by the Walter Johnson Wildcats Tuesday night in the sectional semifinals, dropping their first playoff game since 2012.

The Vikings (11–1) had bested the Wildcats (9–3) 2–0 earlier this fall, but were unable to continue their accomplishments into the playoffs. Whitman entered the second round of the playoffs coming off of a bye week while Walter Johnson beat Richard Montgomery 6–0 in the first round to advance.

The match began relatively even, with pressure coming from both ends of the field and all players displaying aggression. The first goal didn’t come until almost 20 minutes into the half, when a Wildcat forward broke away from the Vikes’ defense to get off a shot which flew out of the reach of goalie Katie Stender-Moore.

With 15 minutes left in the first half, forward Abby Meyers skillfully maneuvered around a fallen Walter Johnson goalie just before one of the Wildcat defenders attempted to clear the ball out. It ended up in forward Mary Dimitrov’s possession, however, and Dimitrov fired a shot on the open goal, bringing the score to 1–1 at the half.

The back-and forth continued for the rest of the game: each time the Wildcats scored, the Vikings would soon strike back with a goal of their own.

The Wildcats regained their lead five minutes after the start of the next half, capitalizing on the aftermath of a corner kick, which allowed them a close shot on goal. Two minutes later, they scored again off another shot from close in.

Within minutes, the Vikings were able to bring the score back up, as midfielder Kristen Bissell’s powerful boot found the back of the net, high above the head of the Walter Johnson goalie. The Vikes followed up thirteen minutes later with their last goal of the night when midfielder Kate Morrison took a strong shot from far outside the penalty box. The Walter Johnson goalie grabbed the ball, but lost hold as she fell to the side, allowing Bissell to send it to the back of the net.

Walter Johnson quickly retaliated while the Whitman fans were still cheering from the previous goal, and the Wildcats took advantage of the opportunity to snag the last goal of the game with twelve and a half minutes left.

“I didn’t think anything was wrong with the way we played,” forward Olivia Lobsenz said. “I guess WJ just came out really strong and we couldn’t come back.”

Despite the end result, the girls brought their usual intensity against an improved Walter Johnson team, and Stender-Moore had multiple key saves, accompanied by multiple shots on offense that were narrowly snatched up by the WJ goalie.

“It was a hard-fought match that just didn’t end the way we wanted it to,” said midfielder Emily Tompkins.