Lady Lions run comes to an end
All things must come to an end. And sometimes, things are abruptly stopped in heartbreaking fashion.
This was the case
Saturday for Concord Christian School’s girls soccer team.
The Lady Lions controlled the tempo and held the possession
advantage throughout the Division II-A State Quarterfinal match against Donelson Christian Academy.
After 100 minutes of regulation play and overtime, the match was declared a 1-1 draw, but one side had to advance to this week’s state tournament in Chattanooga.
So things came down to a penalty kicks shootout, which was won by the Lady Wildcats, 4-2.
“I would say that we possessed the ball more than they did and on their side more than they did,” Concord coach Jason Jennings said. “They were packing it back and just getting transition.
They got one (goal) in the first half and we
got one in the second half and in PK’s, you never know what’s going to happen.”
The Lady Wildcats (12-3-1) took a 1-0 lead midway through the opening half when Maggie Bosworth found the back of the CCS net in the 24th minute of the match.
The Lady Lions (16-1-2) missed a chance to pull ahead early when they hit the post with a shot in the opening minute of the match.
Concord would tie the game early in the second half on
a marker by Lexie Leeman. The goal came off a rebound after Ellie Leeman fired
a shot off the goalpost in the 44th minute.
After regulation and overtime, Doelson Christian converted all four of its penalty kicks while Concord misfired in the second and third rounds of the shootout.
Things ended in disappointing fashion for the Lady Lions, but that didn’t sully a season where Concord accomplished so much.
“This was history-making for us,” Jennings said. “First district title, first region title (and) first state quarterfinal.
“I’ve got several of them who’ve played for me a long time, and they’ve earned every bit of this.”
