Lady Cougars win fifth in a row, 2-1 over Breckinridge County

malorie
malorie

The surging Lady Cougar soccer team won its fifth straight game as they defeated the Breckinridge County Lady Tigers 2-1 Thursday evening in Harned.

This is just the sixth season that Breck has fielded a soccer team, and they have never defeated the Lady Cougars. They have made great strides since that time, and this edition could be their best.

Before the players even had a chance to break a sweat, the Tigers got on the board to take a 1-0 lead. In the fourth minute of play, senior forward Bailey Caster gained possession of the ball just outside the Cougar penalty area near the left sideline. She dribbled parallel to the Cougar goal until unleashing a shot that seemed to fool Cougar keeper Laura Vincent before settling into the back of the net.

That stunner of a goal served to wake up the somnolent Lady Cougars and they began to do a much better job of keeping the Tigers at bay, while beginning to dominate possessions.

In the 20th minute, freshman Ellie Evans was threatening the Tiger goal, taking the ball deep down the left side, when she was unceremoniously dragged to the ground. As the foul took place in the penalty area, the Lady Cougars were awarded a penalty kick.

Sophomore Gillian Johnston stepped to the penalty spot and unleashed a shot that had Breck goalie Abby Shannon beaten badly on her right side, but, unfortunately, the ball clanged off the left upright. Fortunately, the ball caromed right back to Johnston, who then put the ball into the empty net to tie things at 1-1.

Evans had a good opportunity to give the Lady Cougars the lead in the 32nd minute, but her point-blank shot was stopped by Shannon with a nice save. The game stayed tied at the half.

The Cougars wasted little time in taking the lead early in the second half. In the 43rd minute, Johnston gained control near the right sideline, deep in the Tiger end. She made a move toward the goal before passing ahead for Evans, who then beat a pair of defenders to the ball and beat Shannon on her left to make it 2-1.

Shortly after that goal, a Breck player, junior Aubrey Tabor, suffered an injury that halted play for about a half hour while an ambulance was called to the scene for transport to the hospital.

In the 51st minute, the Tigers were awarded a direct free kick about 25 yards in front of the Cougar net, but junior Autumn Rogers’ shot sailed over the top of the goal.

Over the final 15 minutes of play, the Lady Cougars kept the ball in the Tigers end nearly exclusively. Johnston ripped a shot off the upright in the 73rd minute that would have iced the win.

Breck had one last chance at a goal with less than two minutes remaining when Caster got free just outside the 18-yard box and took the ball in on Vincent. Caster unleashed a shot from point-blank range, but her shot was right at Vincent, who was able to keep it out of the net to preserve the win.

The Lady Cougars’ win streak will be put to the test next Thursday, Sept. 6 when they travel to Brandenburg to take on the perennial 11th District champs, Meade County. The Lady Waves are currently just 2-3-1 for the season, but their losses have come against some very tough teams.

By Don Brown, Local Sports
Reach Don at donbrown@k105.com

After her penalty kick went off the upright, Gillian Johnston was able to redirect the rebound into the empty net to tie the game 1-1 in he first half.
Junior Grace Bernhard had a solid game defensively for the Lady Cougars.
Freshman Ellie Evans had the game winning goal in the second half.
Senior midfielder Temple Strader sent a ball forward in the second half.