Archives > Sports Update
Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
RSS
Share
Highlands and lows: Lady Leopards eliminated by Lady Scots in regional quarters
BY Matt Welch, mwelch@starlocalnews.com
The final chapter was written in the Lovejoy girls soccer team's storybook playoff run Tuesday night.
Unfortunately for the Lady Leopards, that final chapter was authored by Highland Park, who closed Lovejoy's season with a 1-0 victory in the regional quarterfinals.
Abby Tisdale accounted for the match's lone goal, as the Lady Leopards' 2012 campaign ended after parlaying a fourth-place finish in District 21-4A into a playoff surge that spanned four rounds. During that stretch, the Lady Leopards defeated Dallas Molina (5-0), Terrell (4-0) and Rockwall-Heath (1-0 via shootout).
That momentum hit a snag Tuesday against a Lady Scots outfit that has dropped one match all year. Lovejoy closed its season at 12-8-5 with just four seniors graduating.
Jefferson avenges prior playoff defeats, bounces Lovejoy
Entering Friday's sectional-round playoff matchup, history indicated the Lovejoy boys soccer team simply had Thomas Jefferson's number.
But the Patriots bucked that trend, ending the Leopards' season with a 3-2 victory.
"I don't think it was our best game of the year, but at the same time, I think Thomas Jefferson was ready for us," said Bryan Jennings, Lovejoy head coach. "I think we had knocked them out of the playoffs two of the last three years and beat them at our tournament, so I'm sure they've been gunning for us since the start of the season."
Jefferson appeared a shade different from the squad that was sent packing in the 2010 bi-district round, a 3-0 loss, playing with an energy unseen in previous meetings.
"[Jefferson] was much more committed this time around," Jennings said. "In the past, they've played very timid against us and were pretty dominant this time. They matched us energy-wise and deserved this one."
That, meshed with Jennings' assessment of his squad not clicking out of the gates, had the Leopards in a 1-0 hole at the break.
Lovejoy controlled the ball more frequently in the second half, but all the Patriots required was a timely deflection off a corner to increase their edge to 2-0.
The tables turned quickly in the 74th minute as the teams combined for three goals over the final six minutes.
Senior Patrick Vasal got the Leopards on the board in said minute to draw Lovejoy within one and senior Michael Myers added a conversion in the 77th minute for Lovejoy's second goal. However, the two scores bookended a third Jefferson goal where the Patriots intercepted a clearance by the Lovejoy keeper and converted for a 3-1 lead.
"We were breathing down their necks, but we could not get that third goal," Jennings said. "It was unfortunate; the way they scored their third goal is just not something you see every day and it gets to the point where you're thinking it just isn't meant to be."
The late-match scoring fray wasn't enough, with the Leopards bowing out in the third round of the postseason after posting playoff victories over Bryan Adams (2-0) and Kaufman (3-0) leading up to Friday.
The Leopards won nine of their final 11 matches.
Friday's loss also marked a rarity for the Leopards, who hadn't surrendered three goals since a Jan. 31 loss to Frisco (3-1).
The squad did so during a 2012 campaign marred by injuries.
"At one point, we had 13 players on varsity who were out with injuries," he said. "I had a lot of the freshman team and JV kids rotating through the lineup this year. For us to have that game of musical chairs, it was definitely a year where we grew as a program. We had 25-26 kids play consistent, large minutes; that's a good thing to have and to go out in the third round should help those who got that experience for next year."
The following are comments from the readers.
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
You must register with a valid email to post comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Registered users sign in here:
Become a Registered User
- Return to: Sports Update «
- Home «
- Top of Page ^
