Down 1-0 at halftime in Morgantown against the Butler County Lady Bears, the Lady Cougar soccer team scored three second-half goals to take the 11th District matchup and move to 8-8 on the season.
A word about the field upon which the Butler County soccer teams must play. It is in a municipal park off campus and is not a regulation-sized field. Goal keeper Laura Vincent’s goal kicks regularly carried nearly the entire length of the field.
When it rains, as it did liberally a few years back when they played the district tournament there for both boys and girls, the field becomes a quagmire due to poor drainage, and the areas in front of both goals are nearly impassable.
While it was dry on Thursday, the scoreboard at the end of the field was not working, so fans on the sidelines had to wonder about the score and how much time was left in the game. In addition, one of the four light standards on the field, the one near the Lady Cougar goal in the second half, was not working. Players were having to play by feel at the end of the game; they certainly couldn’t see much. Before another district tournament is played in Morgantown, something needs to be done at that field, or the school might try to find the funds to build one of their own.
The Lady Cougars came out uninspired at the start of the game, and in the 27th minute of play they allowed sophomore Dixie Garnier to score a goal to make it 1-0.
The Lady Cougars had a few good chances at the Lady Bear goal, but goal keeper Journey Alford was able to keep everything out to make it 1-0 at the half.
Following a tongue-lashing by head coach Elizabeth Priddy during the halftime break, the Lady Cougars had a little more inspiration beginning the second half. Barely thirty seconds after taking the opening kick to start the half, sophomore Gillian Johnston scored to tie the game at 1-1.
In the 55th minute, freshman Mikayla Clemons won a ball on the far right sidelines near the 18-yard box. She dribbled a couple of times before sending a beautiful cross to fellow freshman Ellie Evans, who was unmarked about 15 yards from the Lady Bears’ goal. Evans took a touch before sending the ball past Alford to put her team in front to stay.
The final goal of the evening came from Johnston and was a thing of beauty. In the 69th minute, Johnston gained possession of the ball just outside the 18-yard box. One touch to the right beat one defender, and another touch to the left beat another. One last touch to the right beat a third defender and left her all alone on replacement goalie Gabby Stark. Taking one more touch toward the goal, Johnston unleashed a strong shot that found the back of the net to make it 3-1.
The Lady Bears had one last good opportunity for a goal with less than a minute to play when Garnier got behind the Cougar defense and came in one-on-one on Vincent. However, her shot sailed high and over the top of the goal, and shortly thereafter the Lady Cougars celebrated their win.
By Don Brown, Local Sports
Reach Don at donbrown@k105.com
