Kearney led for more than 60 minutes in Monday's Class A girls state tournament opener.

But top-ranked Omaha Marian kept the pressure on. And, eventually, got the tying goal in the 77th minute en route to a 2-1 shootout win at Morrison Stadium.

"I told them to one or two touches, and when we activated that we finally got something going," Crusader coach Teresa DeGeorge said.

Marian held a 16-4 advantage in shots and controlled time of possession, yet Bearcat keeper Kadi Eklund was pitching a shutout. Until the final minutes.

The junior finished with 11 saves but Paige Miller finally broke through, getting open in the middle for equalizer.

"We've got to play with a sense of urgency with a short time left, and that's a lot to ask kids," Kearney coach Lerrin Rowe said. "They did the best they could, and Marian was pushing quite a bit. So we kind of expected something like that to happen, but obviously we hope it doesn't."

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Marian's stars emerged again during the shootout.

Miller, Cooper Dally and keeper Hayden Blaney converting their penalty chances with the Crusader student section turning up the volume. Molly Kalsbeck had the lone conversion for the Bearcats.

It was also Kalsbeck who put eighth-ranked Kearney (14-4) on the board first.

Addie Snyder got the run started with a through ball downfield that found Claire Karjalainen in a two-on-one with the keeper. Karjalainen passed to Kalsbeck, who struck the ball into an open net.

Marian (17-1) then turned up the offensive pressure, but the Bearcats' back line and Eklund were up to the challenge.

"Without Eklund in the back, today wouldn't have been possible," Rowe said. "She made some huge saves, we're quick on the back line, we're really able to count on them."

Both teams had good chances in the final 10 minutes of the second half, too.

Marian got an open look at net after a collision with the keeper jarred the ball free. The ensuing shot sailed wide.

Eklund made two more saves in the final 10, including on a free kick where a deflection redirected the ball to the post.

In overtime, Kearney got its best chance with five minutes left.

Off a corner, the Bearcats executed a high-pointed header but Marian’s Riley Washington was parked just in front of the line. She made the nongoalie save.

"This was probably the fifth goal on goal-line defense that's she's kept out," DeGeorge said. "Kristine Lilly did that way back when, and she's my player who's Kristine Lilly. She covers that line when the keeper gets off that line."

It also helped save Marian's season.

It was a different type of win for the Crusaders, who didn't allow a goal in April while outscoring opponents 61-0.

But a win is a win. And Marian has now won 14 straight heading into the semifinal at noon Friday against the Pius-Columbus winner.

Goals: K, Molli Kalsbeck. OM, Paige Miller.

Photos: All-Nebraska soccer teams through the years

2023

2023 All-Nebraska soccer teams: Back row left to right: Gretna's Sonora De Fini, Gretna's Karli Williams, Lincoln East's Annie Mulder, Gretna's Allison Marshall, Lincoln Southwest's Lane Kruse, Lincoln East's Aidan Nachi, Papillion-La Vista South's Colin Macke, Gretna's Maguire Perkins, Bennington's Ayo Makinde, and Gretna's Brett Perkins. Front row left to right: Lincoln Southwest's Charley Kort, Gretna's Ava Makovicka, Lincoln Southwest's Claire Kniss, Norris' Kennedy Sullivan, Gretna's London De Fini, Omaha Westside's Delani Daubman, Omaha Skutt's Tess Behrens, Omaha Skutt's Morgan Finkenbinder, Omaha Creighton Prep's Brady Bragg, Omaha Skutt's William Tobaben, Omaha Skutt's Samuel Schendt,and Gretna's Mikey Stukenholtz.

2022

2022 All-Nebraska soccer teams: Front row (from left): Abby Vacek, Kayma Carpenter, Avi Gonzalez, Ava Makovicka, Sydney Zabloudil, Andre Santamaria, Mikey Stukenholtz, Sam Schendt, Edwin Cisneros, Cesar Hernandez, Brett Perkins. Back: Samaya Hogg, Annie Mulder, Emma Prososki, Hannah Tate, Allison Marshall, John Burns, Aidan Nachi, Carson Poole, Maguire Perkins, Alec Scharff. (Not pictured: Savannah DeFini.)

2021

All-Nebraska 2021 boys team: Kevin Becerril, Omaha South; Javier Baide, Grand Island; Caden Tubaugh, Millard West; Carter Hinman, Gretna; Wawa Palga, Omaha South, captain; Eli Rhodes, Lincoln Southwest; Junior Casillas, Lexington; Edwin Cisneros, Omaha South; John Meyers, Omaha Skutt; Cole Lammel, Millard South; Nolan Fuelberth, Lincoln Southwest.

All-Nebraska 2021 girls team: Allie Napora, Papillion-La Vista South; Kayma Carpenter, Lincoln East; Cece Behrens, Omaha Skutt; Briley Hill, Lincoln East; Sena Ahovissi, Millard North; Savannah DeFini, Gretna; Sarah Weber, Gretna, captain; Haley Peterson, Lincoln East; Taylor Daffer, Gretna; Jenna Hotovy, Omaha Skutt; Abby Orr, North Platte.

2019

2019 All-Nebraska soccer teams: Back row: From left to right, Omaha Creighton Prep's Michael Ambrose, Omaha Creighton Prep's Duncan McGuire, Lincoln East's Zion Osorio, Omaha South's Luka Nedic, Omaha Creighton Prep's Matthew Anderson and Lincoln Southeast's Cassie Nash. Middle Row: From left to right, Millard West's Grace Ostergaard, Crete's Anthony Bolanos, Elkhorn South's Reagan Anderson, Kearney's Royce Austen, Omaha Skutt's Laurin Mertz, Omaha South's Ivan Hernandez, Millard West's Chaise Pfanstiel, Gretna's Sarah Weber, Lincoln Southwest's Isaiah Shaddick, Omaha Marian's Grace Crockett, Millard West's Katie Stoneburner and Papillion La Vista's Sam Marek. Front Row: From left to right, Omaha South's Abdillahi Adan, Kearney's Jacob Hardy, Millard South's Maddie Smith and Millard West's Reagan Raabe.

2018

2018 All-Nebraska soccer teams: First row: Gwen Lane and Regan Zimmers. Second row: Delaney Gunn, Brian Covarrubias, Lindsey Prokop, Royce Austen, Maddie Smith, Laurin Mertz and Rylie Albers. Third row: Tyler Sanne, Mackenzie Boeve, Emma Wilson, Delaney Stekr, Carlos Salazar, Luka Nedic and Jacob Hardy. Top row: Jonathan Velasquez, Cole Quandt, Novoa, Johan Centeno and Duncan McGuire. Not pictured is Elkhorn's Skylar Heinrich.

2017

2017 All-Nebraska soccer teams: Back row from left: Omaha Burke’s Zach Robbins, Elkhorn South’s Hunter Albers, Ralston’s Diego Gutierrez, Omaha South’s Isaac Cruz, Omaha Central’s Jackson Ferris, Fremont’s Nolan Dillon, Omaha Westside’s Jack Finocchiaro, Lincoln North Star’s Jonathan Velasquez, Millard West’s Erik Fahner and Creighton Prep’s Ed Gordon. Bottom, from left: Bellevue West’s Courtney Wallingford, Omaha Marian’s Rachel Johnson, Lincoln Southwest’s Hannah Davis, Millard North’s Bailey Cascio, Omaha Skutt’s Madi McKeever, Millard West’s Sydney Cassalia, Omaha Westside’s Emily Torres, Omaha Marian’s Emma Nelson, Millard South’s Lindsey Prokop, Elkhorn’s Skylar Heinrich. Matt Smith and Kenzie Harte are not pictured.

2016

2016 All-Nebraska soccer teams: Back row from left to right: Maddy Henry, Matt Smith, Rachel Johnson, Joe Fehr, Marisa Windingstad, Sydney Cassalia, Jake Bos, Alex Gomez, Charlie Harte, Austin Mishou; Front row from left to right: Brenna Ochoa, Bailey Cascio, Miranda Swift, Ed Gordon, Adam Dejka, Cassie Legband, Alvaro Elizarraga, Hannah Davis, Jack Finocchiaro, Jaylin Bosak are the 2016 All-Nebraska Soccer Team. AJ Wiley and Annie Sullivan are not pictured.

2015

2015 All-Nebraska soccer teams: From left to right, Abby Meader, Isaac Armstrong, Vince Nolette, Emily Romero, Michelle Xiao, Angel Jacinto, Alvaro Elizarraga, Marisa Windingstad, Jake Kennedy, Nick Scalora, Maddy Henry, Margaret Begley, Cassie Legband, Sydney Cassalia, Brenna Ochoa, Alec Foltz, Cullen Fisch, Connor Tupper, Jordan Cahill, Susie Dineen and Carsen Lundgren are the 2015 All-Nebraska Soccer Team. AJ Wiley is not pictured.

2014

2014 All-Nebraska soccer teams: Back row, from left, Holly Hild, Abby Meader, Elmer Garcia, Paige Phipps, Nick Hinds, Megan McCashland, Jonah Garbin, Madison Henry. Front row, from left, Peter Schropp, Faith Carter, Hannah Schafers, Damien Austen, Justin Wiley, Michelle Xiao, Sarah Woelfel, Chase McCann, Landon Sibole (kneeling), James Narke (sitting), Quinn Nelson. Not pictured: Hannah Davis.

2013

2013 All-Nebraska soccer teams: Back row, from left, Abby Meader, Allison Key, Mark Moulton, Megan McCashland, Rachel Brennan, Brock Fitzgerald, Abel Alvarado, Ali Sodal, Taylor Saucier, Michael Kluver, Landon Sibole, Jordan Cassalia. Front row, left to right, Damien Austen, Lucas Venegas, Eduardo Gamboa, Michael Jaime, Emily Roll, Michelle Xiao, Sarah Woelfel, Alex Prusa, Liz Bartels, Maddie Elliston.

2012

Honorary team captains Jackie Tondl of Omaha Marian and Mark Moulton of Omaha Creighton Prep.

2011

Honorary team captains Logan Mendez of Grand Island and Rachel Brennan of Millard North.

2010

Honorary team captains Omaha South's Manuel Lira and Omaha Skutt's Mayme Conroy.

2009

Boys first team: Lance Johnson, Kearney; Matt Sifers, Millard West; Chase Beiermann, Columbus Scotus; Josh Gable, Kearney; Luke Theimer, Millard South; Aaron Mulgrue, Lincoln Southwest; Alec Lerner, Om. Burke; Steve Thyden, Om. Westside; Michael Burke, Om. Skutt; Brian Kudron, Millard West; Larry Mason Om. Burke.

Girls first team: Caitlin Stier, Om. Westside; Stacy Bartels, Om. Skutt; Mayme Conroy, Om. Skutt; Katie Pickinpaugh, Millard West; Brittney Neumann, Millard North; Bri Exstrom, Lincoln Southwest; Megan Merrill, Millard West; Alexa Lind, Om. Skutt; Allie Adam, Millard West; Sarah Nelson, Om. Westside; Amanda Woelfel, Millard North.

2008

Honorary team captains Molly Thomas of Millard North and Devon Strecker of Millard South.

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