West Liberty outlasts Nevada in thrilling double-overtime boys state soccer quarterfinal

Nevada caught a bad break at the wrong time in a 3-2 double-overtime loss to West Liberty in the Class 1A quarterfinals of the boys state soccer tournament Wednesday in Des Moines.

The game was about as even a matchup as possible between the fifth-seeded Cubs and fourth-seeded Comets. In the end, it came down to a penalty kick in the second overtime and Jahsiah Galvan delivered for West Liberty, connecting after Nevada was whistled for a foul just 22 seconds into the second overtime.

"It was a great game between two very good soccer teams," Nevada head coach Todd Sampson said. "We fought back like we have done multiple times this year. Unfortunately, at the end, that was the call that was made, but we can't do anything about that."

Galvan converted a shot past Nevada keeper Owen Freeman on the penalty kick for the winning score.

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"We work on them every day after practice," Galvan said. "As soon as we got the PK, I knew where I was going. It was just muscle memory an putting it there."

Galvan said he was thrilled to win such a competitive battle to advance to the semifinals.

"I thought we played decent and knocked it around," said Galvan, a Northern Iowa football signee. "Everyone was giving it their all and all of us leaving it out there won us this game."

Nevada had nothing to be ashamed of in the defeat.

"It was a great game and it went both ways," Nevada forward Drew Robinson said. "Multiple calls on both sides and my dad always says you've got to be 10 points better than the refs. There were times we could've capitalized and didn't. But I know we gave our full effort. It was just crappy luck of the draw there at the end."

Robinson converted a PK of his own to tie the game at 2-2 with just 5:03 left in regulation. That sent the game into overtime, where neither team mounted much of a threat outside of a great rip from Nevada's Dylan Fritz that hooked just wide of the goal from 20 yards out.

More: Why this Nevada boys soccer team is poised to make first state tournament since 2018

West Liberty went ahead 2-1 eight minutes into the second half on a goal by Joshua Zeman. It scored its first goal on a sliding kick by Galvan 19 minutes into the game.

Galvan slipped a shot past Freeman from the right side and into the far corner.

Nevada answered with 6:20 left in the first half when Carson Rhodes followed a direct kick by Sam Betting for a goal to tie the score at the half.

Nevada finished the season at 15-7. After a slow start, the Cubs won 14 of their final 18 games before state.

Robinson finished the season with 36 goals and 14 assists and Edgar Cabrera had 16 goals and 18 assists. Betting added 16 assists and four goals, Kent Sponseller nine goals and two assists, and Ty Dittmer five goals and assists apiece.

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Every one of those players, along with Rhodes and Freeman, will return next year except Dittmer.

"We've got a good group of freshmen coming in that will help push us and we're only losing a couple kids," Robinson said. "I really think next year will be our year."

West Liberty will take a 14-3 record into Friday's 1A semifinals. The Comets will face top seed Western Christian (16-1), a 1-0 winner over Notre Dame-West Burlington in the quarterfinals.

West Liberty 3, Nevada 2 (2 OT)

Nevada            1        1        0        0 — 2

West Liberty     1        1        0        1 — 3

Scoring

First half

WL — Jahsiah Galvan, 18:59.

N — Carson Rhodes (Sam Betting), 33:40.

Second half

WL — Joshua Zeman, 48:12.

N — Drew Robinson (PK), 74:57.

2 OT

WL - Galvan (PK), 90:22.

This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: West Liberty beats Nevada in 2022 Iowa boys soccer state tournament