Despite a slow start in their opening postseason game, the Pella Christian girls soccer team scored three unanswered goals to pull out a 3-2 victory at Grand View Christian in the Class 1A Region 5 tournament Wednesday night. 

The Eagles found themselves in a hole early, as the Thunder scored in the first and 15th minutes to grab a 2-0 lead. Pella Christian began cutting into that deficit shortly thereafter, as Esther Ford assisted a Lexi Terpstra goal in the game’s 20th minute to pull the score back within one. The Eagles continued to trail 2-1 into the middle of the second half, but a pair of seniors connected for the equalizing goal in the 54th minute. On an offensive break, Claire Winn-Fogle’s first assist of the year led to Ema Zula’s first goal of the season and pulled the score even at 2-2. Nearing the end of regulation Pella Christian took their first lead, as Esther Ford scored her team-leading 13th goal of the spring on a breakaway in the 72nd minute, which propelled the Eagles to the win. Pella Christian outshot Grand View Christian 24-10, and recorded 13 shots on goal to the Thunder’s 7. 

The Eagles improved to 9-8 overall on the season and advanced to the regional semifinal round, where they compete at #7 Nevada on Tuesday at 7 pm.