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Bountiful • Davis expects every opponent's best each night. Not only are the Darts the top-ranked program and defending state champions in Utah, but they're ranked nationally in the top 10.
Tuesday's massive Region 2 match against Viewmont appeared to be headed for another runaway, with the Darts maintaining a 2-0 lead, but in a matter of minutes the Vikings converted a penalty kick before a Davis own goal put the champs on the ropes with 22 minutes remaining.
"We got together and regrouped," Davis junior Mikayla Colohan said. "We told each other that we're the better team and we needed to calm down and play the way we knew we should."
Following a diving save that prevented Viewmont from surging ahead, Colohan led the charge in the opposite direction, baiting her defender outside before placing a perfect cross to Olivia Wade who vanquished any hope of an upset into the back of the net in the Darts' 3-2 win at Viewmont.
"I saw [Olivia] making the run, and I knew she would be fast enough," Colohan said. "I just put it in front of her, played the through-ball, and she got to it and finished."
Davis coach Souli Phongsavath, who has coached Colohan since she was 10 years old, said "it was one of the best passes I've seen her make in my life."
"We knew it was going to be a physical game coming in," said Phongsavath, whose club won the first meeting against Viewmont, 5-2. "What I love about the girls is the fight that they have. We had the two-goal lead, we gave it up — they came back and got the win."
Regyn Youngberg put Davis ahead 1-0 in the first three minutes with a blooper shot into the right corner. The Darts nearly extended the lead further, but a penalty kick clanked off the crossbar in the 38th minute. The advantage finally ballooned to 2-0 on Ireland Dunn's goal in the early minutes of the second half.
"It's the most dangerous lead in soccer," Phongsavath said. "You're relaxed, you're controlled, and then they pop in those goals. This season, we haven't faced a lot of adversity. We've had some comfortable leads. I love this game going into the playoffs next week because it's not going to be a walkthrough."
With 27 minutes remaining in regulation, Viewmont's Sailor Uffens pulled her team within 2-1 on a penalty kick before Davis allowed an own goal five minutes later.
The battle provided mneeded experience for the Darts, who will be without Wade for the first two rounds of the postseason while she plays for the United States U-17 national team. Davis has outscored its opponents 96-7 this season. On Tuesday it showed it can win close games, too.
"It proves how good we know we can be," Colohan said. "It proves to everybody else that we're not overrated. We can beat the good teams as well."
Twitter: @trevorphibbs —
Storylines
Davis survives scare after Mikayla Colohan found Olivia Wade with 10 minutes remaining to preserve its undefeated season.
Regyn Youngberg and Ireland Dunn added goals for the Darts.
After trailing by two goals, Viewmont rallied to tie the game and nearly took the lead late in the second half