Parker, Purfield lead Sun Valley in shootout

When playoff soccer gets into penalty kicks, goalkeepers can have an outsized impact on proceedings. Just ask Sun Valley’s Amy Parker.

Parker stopped three penalty kicks Tuesday night as the No. 10 seed Vanguards advanced in the shootout, 5-4, against No. 7 seed Nazareth Academy in a District 1 Class 3A girls soccer tournament fixture that finished 1-1 after extra time at Ramp Playground in Northeast Philadelphia.

Deanna Baker scored late in the second half to peg back a first-half Nazareth goal and send the teams to extra time.

The teams were tied at 3 after five rounds of the shootout, necessitating sudden death. Both teams scored in the sixth round, but after Parker denied her third penalty of the night in the seventh, Casey Purfield stepped to the spot and buried he attempt, sending Sun Valley on.

Devon Linn, Veronica Roth and Chiara Robinson scored in the first five rounds of the shootout, with Baker adding a goal in the do-or-die sixth round before Parker and Purfield sent the Vanguards through.

No. 7 Sun Valley (9-7-3) takes on No. 2 seed Penncrest (16-1) Thursday night. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

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