POST FALLS - Sometimes it comes down to a matter of inches.

For the Post Falls High girls soccer team, those inches came in to play Wednesday during their 2-0 loss to Lewiston in the 5A Region 1 tournament semifinals.

Down 1-0 in the second half, the Trojans' Lexi Smith took a shot from the left wing. The shot curled up and over the Lewiston goalkeeper and slammed against the crossbar.

It missed. By inches.

Freshman Erica Simpson received the rebound and fired another shot, but Lewiston's goalkeeper Emily Moscrip dove to her right and made the save.

The Trojans, again, missed by inches.

Less than a minute later, Lacey Sumpter sent a strike to the back-right portion of the net to put the Bengals up 2-0.

"We came in a little bit nervous," Smith said. "We haven't really played our best when playing them but we were also confident. Today just wasn't our day, and we wish them the best."

Lewiston (8-5-3), which all game had weathered a flurry of attacks from Post Falls' forwards, was able to keep the Trojans scoreless and secured another trip to state - the Bengals' second in as many years, following 15 years of not qualifying.

"We feel fantastic," Lewiston coach Alison Lathen said. "It's really nice to be able to go back (to state). We are just really happy."

The Trojans (7-5-5) had their chances early when freshman forward Kelcie Hedge missed shots wide left and wide right to open the match. Smith's shot in the 16th minute also missed wide right.

“I’m a firm believer in every hard game you get just a couple opportunities to score,” Trojans coach Briggs Anderson said. “We had three or four opportunities and they didn’t go. They (Lewiston) had three opportunities and they nailed two of them. The team with the better percentage wins.”

The Trojans continued to battle late in the second half when Smith sent a cross to Hedge in the 60th minute. Hedge drilled a shot into the awaiting arms of Moscrip, who had five saves in the match.

Just six minutes later, after her shot went wide left, Smith fell to the ground and was eventually carried off the field.

“It was just a cramp in my right calf,” Smith said. “I got them the last game too.”

The sophomore returned to the game three minutes later.

“Lexi gave it 100 percent today,” Anderson said. “Once we got the cramp worked out, she went back out there and gave it some more.”

The Post Falls girls soccer team has yet to make it to state in the history of their program. But Anderson said the future is bright for this young Trojans team, which only loses three seniors.

“We looked at this as a building year, and we did better than we anticipated,” Anderson said. “Moving forward with our young players, it’s gonna be a big future for them in the next couple years. We are going to continue to get better year after year.”

First half — 1, Lew, Kellsi Parson (Shevaun Ames) 18:00. Second half — 2, Lew, Lacey Sumpter (unassisted) 59:00.

Shots on goal — Lew, 7, PF 5.

Saves — Lew, Emily Moscrip 5; PF, Sam Runkle, 5.