Photos: Walden Grove comes back to drop Salpointe 3-1, state 4A girls soccer
Walden Grove High School girls soccer beat Salpointe Catholic 3-1 on Friday night at Marana High School to win the 4A state championship.
Walden Grove sophomore midfielder/forward Vivien Villarreal again led the way with a brace, scoring off a corner kick in the 20th minute off an assist from sophomore defender/midfielder Alissa Spear. Then in the 70th minute Villarreal scored what proved to be the the game winner.
Salpointe struck first when Emma Cazares scored in the sixth minute.
WG senior defender/midfielder Meredith Galus scored an insurance goal in the 74th minute.
The Red Wolves (20-0-1) also won a state championship in 2015 in Division III.
Salpointe (13-3-2) was seeking its fourth straight state title.
— James Kelley, Special to the Arizona Daily Star
Walden Grove's Vivien Villarreal (23) leaps on Meredith Galus (6) after Galus scored the insurance goal in the Red Wolves 3-1 win against Salpointe at Marana High School, Marana, Ariz., February 22, 2024.
Walden Grove's Meredith Galus (6) throws herself at Salpointe's Jhianae DesRosier (96) to disrupt her shot attempt in the first half of their 4A state championship game at Marana High School, Marana, Ariz., February 22, 2024.
Salpointe's Jayda Cormier (10), left, collides with Walden Grove's Megan Blatnik (1) and Savannah Michel (7) on a dangerous ball in the Red Wolves box in the first half of their 4A state championship game at Marana High School, Marana, Ariz., February 22, 2024.
Salpointe's Bella Malovich (9) leads the Lancers in a pre-game huddle before they face Walden Grove in the 4A state championship game at Marana High School, Marana, Ariz., February 22, 2024.
Salpointe's Odessa Barattieri (4) slips the ball under the tackle of Walden Grove's Madison Landman (19) in the first half of their 4A state championship game at Marana High School, Marana, Ariz., February 22, 2024.
Salpointe's Jayda Cormier (10) sends Walden Grove's Mia Miranda (15) flying with a late challenge in the first half of their 4A state championship game at Marana High School, Marana, Ariz., February 22, 2024.
Walden Grove's Megan Blatnik (1) tries to punch the ball clear of the goal on a shot that eventually fell to Salpointe's Emma Cazares (12) for the first goal of the game in the first half of their 4A state championship game at Marana High School, Marana, Ariz., February 22, 2024.
Salpointe's Jayda Cormier (10), left, and Walden Grove's Kaela Castro (9) get their heads to a looping ball into the midfield in the first half of their 4A state championship game at Marana High School, Marana, Ariz., February 22, 2024.
Salpointe's Emma Veliz (99) elbows her way into Walden Grove's Kaela Castro (9) as the two vie for control along the touchline in the first half of their 4A state championship game at Marana High School, Marana, Ariz., February 22, 2024.
Walden Grove's Meredith Galus (6) fights with Salpointe's Cristina Conlon (5) for the bal in the Red Wolves box in the first half of their 4A state championship game at Marana High School, Marana, Ariz., February 22, 2024.
Salpointe's Anjeli DesRosier (26) pulls up on her tackle as Walden Grove's Liana Vivas (3) skips over her in the first half of their 4A state championship game at Marana High School, Marana, Ariz., February 22, 2024.
Salpointe's Ani Jimenez (15), left and Bella Malovich (9) can’t get to the looping header from Walden Grove's Vivien Villarreal (23) that found net and tied the game at one in the first half of their 4A state championship game at Marana High School, Marana, Ariz., February 22, 2024.
Salpointe's Brindisi Pickett (16) lunges in front of Walden Grove's Vivien Villarreal (23) and cuts her off from the ball in the first half of their 4A state championship game at Marana High School, Marana, Ariz., February 22, 2024.
Salpointe's Alyssa Allen (11) clears the ball from Walden Grove's Milana Eyrich (4) in the first half of their 4A state championship game at Marana High School, Marana, Ariz., February 22, 2024.
Walden Grove's Vivien Villarreal (23) slides in to take the ball from Salpointe's Brindisi Pickett (16) in the first half of their 4A state championship game at Marana High School, Marana, Ariz., February 22, 2024.
Walden Grove's Milana Eyrich (4) rises up to head the ball over Salpointe's Alyssa Allen (11) in the first half of their 4A state championship game at Marana High School, Marana, Ariz., February 22, 2024.
Walden Grove's Megan Blatnik (1) gathers in the ball off the leg of Salpointe's Bella Malovich (9) at the edge of the box in the first half of their 4A state championship game at Marana High School, Marana, Ariz., February 22, 2024.
Walden Grove's Kaylee Purtle (17) spins Salpointe's Jhianae DesRosier (96) around and off the ball in the first half of their 4A state championship game at Marana High School, Marana, Ariz., February 22, 2024.
Salpointe's Emma Veliz (99) crashes into Walden Grove's Riley Amarillas (11) fighting for the ball in the first half of their 4A state championship game at Marana High School, Marana, Ariz., February 22, 2024.
Salpointe's Emma Cazares (12), left, and Walden Grove's Vivien Villarreal (23) get their foot to the ball in the first half of their 4A state championship game at Marana High School, Marana, Ariz., February 22, 2024.
Salpointe's Emma Cazares (12) boots the ball from danger as Walden Grove's Vivien Villarreal (23) crashes to the turf in the first half of their 4A state championship game at Marana High School, Marana, Ariz., February 22, 2024.
Walden Grove's Milana Eyrich (4) wins the ball by inches against Salpointe's Emma Cazares (12) in the second half of their 4A state championship game at Marana High School, Marana, Ariz., February 22, 2024.
Walden Grove's Vivien Villarreal (23) arrives a second too late to win the ball in the Lancer box from Salpointe's Cyvia Jimenez (20) in the second half of their 4A state championship game at Marana High School, Marana, Ariz., February 22, 2024.
Walden Grove's Alissa Spear (8), left, and Salpointe's Alexis Hanus (7) tangle for control of a loose ball near midfield in the second half of their 4A state championship game at Marana High School, Marana, Ariz., February 22, 2024.
Walden Grove's Vivien Villarreal (23) takes a hand to the face from Salpointe's Cyvia Jimenez (20) in the foot race to the ball during the second half of their 4A state championship game at Marana High School, Marana, Ariz., February 22, 2024.
An arcing free kick find the net behind Salpointe's Ani Jimenez (15) from Walden Grove's Meredith Galus (6) and puts the Red Wolves up 3-1 late in the second half of their 4A state championship game at Marana High School, Marana, Ariz., February 22, 2024.
Walden Grove's Meredith Galus (6) celebrates her free kick goal against Salpointe late in the second half of their 4A state championship game at Marana High School, Marana, Ariz., February 22, 2024.
The Walden Grove Red Wolves hoist the 4A trophy after coming from behind for a 3-1 win against Salpointe in the championship game at Marana High School, Marana, Ariz., February 22, 2024.
Kelly Presnell
Photojournalist
Walden Grove girls win 4A state soccer championship as Red Wolves cap unbeaten seasonNo. 2 Walden Grove (20-0-1) defeated No. 4 Salpointe Catholic (13-3-2) Friday night at Marana High School to win the Arizona girls 4A state soccer championship, with the Red Wolves avenging two straight playoff losses to the Lancers.