By Mikhial Tsatskin

Pinnacle advanced to the 6A Conference state quarterfinals but will do so without two players, including its starting goalkeeper. 

Goalkeeper Rachel Black and junior forward Lindsey Reinhardt were ejected during separate incidents in the team’s 3-1 Wednesday home victory over Tucson. Tension rose throughout the game leading up to a fight between Black and a Tucson player, resulting in a penalty kick Tucson made. 

Punches were thrown from both sides as teammates rushed to separate the two players.   

“Every player should keep their head during a game,” Pinnacle coach Suzanne Kirchner said. 

Pinnacle’s balanced passing game was the talk of the first half when Amelia Junge scored the first of two Pinnacle goals off deflected passes. 

“That first goal was a tough goal to see,” Tucson coach David Goodkin said.  

Pinnacle forward Cassie Wiens scored the other goal off a deflected pass during the start of the second half. 

But foul trouble plagued the Pioneers, who saw their star forward, Kindall Kaufmann, receive a yellow card after arguing with the ref. But that call likely motivated the Pioneers, because they then quickly scored, this time off a Brittany Buetel assist to forward Kelsey Weber.

However, tempers continued to flare after Pinnacle's players thought they scored another goal. Pinnacle’s players argued that the ball crossed the goal line when Tucson’s goalkeeper stopped a shot.

The frustration following the no call led to Reinhardt receiving a red card. 

Without two players, the Pioneers (12-3-5) will try to figure out what changes they’ll make before their Saturday quarterfinal game at Xavier.  

“Everybody on this team deserves to play it (quarterfinal),” Kirchner said. “The next two days we will use to adjust to our opponent.”

As for Tucson, it finished its season with a 10-6-2 record and has reached the playoffs every year under its third-year coach. 

Next year’s team will return a roster predominately filled by seniors. 

“This team is an incredible group,” Goodkin said. “The chemistry is there.” 

Tsatskin is a sports journalism student at Arizona State.