MURRAY – For the second straight year, Graves County has ended the Lady Marshals season in the 2nd District Tournament semi-final. Wednesday’s game that was decided after two overtime periods and a second round of penalty kicks, was more fitting for a Region One final or state playoff game, a game that most would agree neither team deserved to lose.
“You have to end it somehow”, Head Coach Michael Boone said. “It’s a terrible way to end it. I’m disappointed for the seniors. From the beginning of the season to the end, they played their hearts out. It’s a cruel game, but sometimes the ball bounces weird or you take a miss step on a PK and hit the ground before you hit the ball, just crazy things can happen that are a bit out of your control.”
Kylee Crass scored the first goal of the game for the Lady Marshals at 9:33 in the first half and seven minutes into the second half, a corner kick by Bailie Wood was put in the goal by Kylee for a 2-0 Lady Marshal lead.
Allye Darnell scored Graves County’s next two goals at 29:05 and again at the 19 minute mark to tie the game that would in the end, send it into the first of two five minute overtime periods. Audrey Noles took a shot on goal for the Lady Marshals and Cass Thomas with a shot from 40 yards out that was saved by Allie Fiske left the game still knotted up at the end of the first overtime.
In the second overtime period, Travis got a shot off that sailed just right of the goal and Darnell had an opportunity for Graves County with Fiske pulled out from the goal that went off the right post and was cleared out by Kylee Crass sending the game into a shoot out.
After 10 alternating penalty kicks, the game was still tied as each team hit 4 of 5 with a miss each sending it into sudden death penalty kicks where the game ends when a team wins a round. Tied 2-2 going into the third round, Graves made their penalty kick and the Lady Marshals missed, ending the game and sending one team to the 2nd District Championship and ending the season for the other.
In post-game comments, Coach Boone said his team followed the game plan, holding Channing Foster to no goals after she scored four on the Lady Marshals in their first meeting of the season.
“If you had told me she wouldn’t score a goal I’d say our chances were pretty good”, Boone said. “Our defense played really solid but they are also pretty opportunistic and their speed is pretty deadly and they took advantage of a couple of our mistakes.”
Boone credited two cleared balls off the line by Camryn Crass and Kylee Crass and Kylee’s two goals, as to reasons the Lady Marshals get into overtime.
“We kept getting better and thought tonight was going to be our night”, Boone said. “We got up 2-0 and I still wasn’t completely comfortable. We switched a couple of things around after they scored and before they scored the second goal and to their credit they didn’t put their heads down and kept fighting.”
Boone said he told his players following the game that he was proud of them, loved them and thanked them for their effort in the game and throughout the season.
Including overtime periods and shootouts, the Lady Marshals had 26 shots in the game, 19 of those on goal, 3 corners and finish the season 9-11-1. Graves County took 32 shots, 27 on goal and 3 corners. Fiske had 19 saves for the Lady Marshals and Emma Irions 12 for the Lady Eagles.
Graves County will playt Murray in the 2nd District Championship Thursday at Calloway County.
