Attitude -- lots of it -- and the competitive juices flowing on both sides.

Must be the first round of the playoffs -- the Division I girls soccer playoffs?

Nothing dainty about No. 5 seed Red Mountain and No. 12 seed Desert Vista as the two hard-to-score on combatants battled to the final seconds for a winner to emerge. That was Desert Vista on a penalty kick with 4.9 seconds left by Brooke Leftwich that gave the Thunder a 2-1 win over Red Mountain at Highland High School.

Desert Vista (19-3) advances to Saturday's quarterfinals where it will face Pinnacle, a 2-0 winner over Marana Mountain View, at  2 p.m at Pinnacle. Red Mountain finished a very successful season at 16-2-3.

Leftwich got  her chance at the game winner as a result of Desert Vista getting the match's final possession. With about 25 seconds left, midfielder Kelly Watson dribbled her way just inside the Red Mountain box for a shot. She was fouled there with 4.9 seconds left. Leftwich was chosen for the PK and found the right corner of the net past Red Mountain keeper Jess Garner.

It was a wild final 10 minutes of the match for Garner. Red Mountain's Sydney Schroeder  tied the match at 1 from from about 20 yards out in the 70th minute. A minute later, with Desert Vista getting an opportunity deep in Red Mountain's box, Garner was initially issued one of the many yellow cards handed out on both sides. After a lengthy discussion the card was rescinded.

It was a short-lived break for Red Mountain. With 6:19 left in the match, Watsonwas fouled in the Red Mountain box, very close to where she was fouled with 4.9 seconds left. Watson attempted that PK, but Garner rejected it to keep the match even. Garner made several other outstanding saves in the second half.

"I've told the girls if you work hard, luck will follow," Desert Vista coach Marvin Hypolite said. "We kept attacking, kept our composure, and didn't give up possessions."

Red Mountain and Desert Vista majored in shutouts this season. Red Mountain did not allow a goal of any kind in 16 of its 20 matches prior to Wednesday. Ditto Desert Vista in 16 of its 21. Desert Vista won the Diablos Soccer Tournament in early December posting five shutout wins. Red Mountain did the same to win the Dobson Mustang Classic in late December.

As one might expect, the teams played to a scoreless tie in the first half. Desert Vista  broke through, however, quickly in the second half  on a goal by Rachel Ressler in the 42nd minute. It looked as though that goal might stand as the only one of the match, but Schroeder had other ideas notching the tying goal with 10 minutes left. One goal was usually enough for either team in given night this season, but not Wednesday.