Special to the Maroon Devils Network – The Lady Devils soccer team went on the road on Thursday night to take on the defending conference champ Murphy Bulldogs. Murphy was undefeated in conference play last year and expected to be at the top of the conference once again this year. The Devils and Bulldogs battled all the way through regulation, two overtime periods and penalty kicks. Swain would get on the board first with just 6:48 left in the first half off a Senior Kyndall Cochran header from a pass from Freshman Kaylee Simmons.
Nine minutes into the second half Murphy would score their first goal of the game. With 4:45 left in regulation Cochran would find the back of the net off a pass from Sophomore Isabelle Green. With 1:30 left in regulation Murphy would score to tie the game 2-2. The teams would battle through two 5-minute overtime periods with neither team scoring a goal.
They would then go to penalty kicks with five players selected from both teams and the team with the leading score at the end of the five players winning the game. Swain would win the toss and elected to kick second. Murphy would score their first PK. Cochran’s PK attempt would be blocked by the goalkeeper putting the Bulldogs up 1-0 after the first round of kickers. Murphy would score their next PK and Green would score for the Devils making the score 2-1 Bulldogs. Sophomore goalkeeper Maddie Lay would block the Bulldogs next shot. Sophomore Kate Poss would convert on her PK tying the score 2-2. The next Murphy PK would go wide right. Simmons would convert on her next PK making the score 3-2 Swain. Murphy would convert their next PK leaving it up to Sophomore Bri Ross to make the shot for the game. Ross would convert making the PK count 4-3 Swain.
“It was a hard fought game. We knew Murphy would come out strong. They have a great team.” said Head Coach Scott Cline. “Our girls came ready to play and gave it their all. I was very proud of how they responded.”
On defense, Poss led the way with 31 steals/clears, followed by Ross with 30, Junior Rebecca Duncan with 22, and Junior Peyton Hines with 14. In goal, Lay would have five saves for the game.
The player of the game for the Lady Devils was Poss. “Kate really stepped it up, clearing many balls out of the air throughout the game.” said Head Coach Scott Cline. “She has been such a great addition to our team this season.”