Unable to hold onto an early lead, the Coupeville High School soccer team lost 3-2 at Lynden Christian in the district tournament Wednesday, May 1.

The Wolves (6-9) now face a winner-to-bi-district, loser-out match with Meridian (9-7-2) at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 4, at Whatcom Community College.

Meridian come into the tournament as the Northwest Conference’s top seed but lost in each of the first two rounds, including to the league’s No. 3 seed Mount Baker 3-1 Wednesday.

The Trojans defeated Coupeville 4-0 in a non-league match March 14.

Lynden Christian 3, Coupeville 2

The Wolves jumped on the Lyncs earlier.

Minutes into the match, Derek Leyva scored from long distance on a goal “that just slipped through the goalie’s fingers,” according to coach Kyle Nelson.

That goal was the only score in the first half in a back-and-forth battle.

Leyva struck again 10 minutes into the second period on a through ball by Chris Cernick.

“Looked like we might just cruise to a nice victory at that point,” Nelson said. “Things changed.”

Lynden Christian scored off a corner kick minutes later, then added another on a similar play about five minutes after the first.

LC picked up the game-winner on a penalty kick on a controversial call.

“We pressed for our own equalizer, but came up just short,” Nelson said.