VALPARAISO | For the second consecutive season, Lake Central came up one win away from a state finals berth.

Unranked Culver Academies edged the state No. 5 Indians 1-0 in the championship game of the Valparaiso Semistate on Saturday night.

Last season, the Indians fell 2-1 in overtime to Penn. Just like in that contest, Lake Central coach Richard Moore was extremely proud of how his team battled for the duration of the contest.

"I really feel for my seniors," Moore said. "They played really well, and I didn't see the loss in their eyes until the horn had sounded.

"It just didn't go our way."

Eagles sophomore Dineo Mmutla provided the lone score of the contest on a chip shot just outside the penalty box with 37:56 remaining in the game. Seconds before, Lake Central battled to clear the ball out of the box, and it rested at Mmutla's feet. She quickly flicked a shot that sailed over L.C. goalie Sam Cook.

"Dineo's a very skilled player," said Culver Academies coach Harry Canellakis, whose team will make its first trip to the state semifinals. "I don't know a lot of players who can keep the ball down on a shot like that."

Cook, usually the team's starting midfielder, replaced starting goalie Brooke Polus for Lake Central. Polus sat out the game after receiving a red card in the semifinal win over Chesterton. Moore didn't know for sure if either keeper would've made that save.

"It was a nice chip, and (Mmutla) arched it way to the top post," Moore said. "Mmutla didn't have a lot of space, and she made a great shot."

But Moore did admit that Cook's loss outside of the goal crease didn't help his team's scoring chances.

"We wasted a lot of scoring opportunities early on," Moore said. "Sam is usually there to help with the offense. I felt like having her playing in goal dampened things."

Lake Central (17-2-4) still had its share of scoring opportunities in the second half. A shot by Kaley Marcinek sailed inches wide right with 29:55 left in the game, and another shot by the junior sailed a little farther right with 28:25 remaining.

It appeared that L.C. might take advantage of a hand ball infraction inside the penalty box for Culver (18-0-1) with just over eight minutes left. Officials ruled that the ball had crossed the end line a few seconds before, and the Indians were given a corner kick instead.

"This is very disheartening," Moore said, "but I still thought the girls did a great job out there."