Starting fast allowed the Helias Lady Crusaders to finish far ahead.
The Lady Crusaders dominated the first 10 minutes of each half and rode that to a 5-1 win against the Union Wildcats in Tuesday's Class 2 sectional game at the 179 Soccer Park.
Helias scored twice in the game's first 10 minutes, took a 2-1 lead into halftime, then effectively ended the game with another goal in the opening five minutes of the second half.
The Lady Crusaders (18-8-1) now move on to play at 6 p.m. Saturday at Carl Junction (23-3) in the quarterfinals, with Helias one win away from its third straight berth in the Final Four.
"It's awesome, we're so excited," said Helias' Tiffany Weaver, who had a goal and an assist. "Our goal is to make it to state and we're on our way."
Weaver made sure the Lady Crusaders never trailed in the game as she took the ball down the left sideline eight minutes in and slipped a perfect pass to a streaking Jordan Poire, who slotted it home.
"I was just going down the field and heard Jordan yelling, so I just played it across and she happened to be there," Weaver said. "It worked out perfect. We've played together for so long that we just play really well off each other."
Just two minutes later, Becky Roberts made it 2-0 in favor of Helias by scoring unassisted.
Instead of seeming to energize the Lady Crusaders, they started to play a little more timidly after the score. It didn't hurt for much of the remainder of the half, but Union finally broke into the scoring column with 131/2 minutes left until intermission. After a teammate missed a header, Bethany Coons put home a rebound for her 47th goal of the season.
But that was all the high-scoring Missouri commit would get, as she rarely had much room to operate thanks to the defense of Lexy Lamb.
"Lexy Lamb has been an all-state caliber player when it comes to locking down great players," Helias coach Brad Dempsey said. "She is a special kid because of what she gives you as a freshman.
"Then the rest of the defense, Maddie Lammers, Katlyn Cowell, Abby Rockers and Meghan Nappier, they work so hard. We've had ups and downs this year, I've been really hard on them, keeping expectations high. But they are where we need them to be now."
With the lead cut in half, halftime came at a great time for the Lady Crusaders.
"After we scored our second goal, we got back on our heels," Dempsey said. "We got in a kickball game with them and thank God for halftime. At halftime, I nailed them pretty hard. I said, "You've got to go, you've got to attack. We have a great defense, why are you backing away? Put the pressure on them.' And they responded."
That response took just 41/2 minute to result in a goal, as Abby Farrow pounded home a goal from deep to make it 3-1.
"Everyone was telling me I was open and I was ready, so I went for it and I was just happy it went in," Farrow said.
It put momentum back squarely in Helias' favor and seemed to take the wind out of Union's sails.
"It brought us all back together," Farrow said. "It helped the team get up again and play really well."
Then with a little more than 23 minutes left, Weaver scooped up the ball near midfield, made a nice run and pounded home a left-footed shot past the Union goalkepper to make it 4-1.
As opposed to many times in the game where the Lady Crusaders got rid of the ball too quickly, possessing it turned out to be the right move that time.
"We needed to calm down," Weaver said. "I just came, checked to the ball and turned and it opened up space. Then I just turned and hit it."
With 161/2 minutes remaining, it appeared Farrow might pick up her second goal of the contest, but instead it was Roberts who got her second.
On a restart, Cowell sent a nice ball toward the goal, where Farrow settled it and put in a shot that seemed destined to score before Roberts made sure of it by flicking a header into the goal.
"Abby Farrow is such a consistent kid," Dempsey said. "We bring her off the bench, we start her, we bring her off the bench, we start her. It just depends on who we're playing.
"She's really coming into her own. ... Hopefully this boosts her confidence. You get your first goal and your first assist of the season in the sectionals against a state-ranked team. That's great."
Sydnee Kliethermes picked up the win in goal as Helias ended Union's season at 22-6.
"There can't be enough said about everybody, everybody played great," Dempsey said. "We're super-excited."