The games definitely do not get any easier as the season winds down. You can ask the Warren County High School Lady Pioneer soccer team after Thursday night’s heartbreaking 3-2 loss to DeKalb County. It was senior night, the last home game of the regular season, and the Lady Tigers made the trip to McMinnville to play.
The Lady Pioneers trailed 3-2 as time ticked off the clock in the closing minutes of play. Each team stepped up its intensity and players from both sides picked themselves off the ground after the aggressive defenses left them face down.
Warren County continued its pursuit of the ball and DeKalb County continued its relentless pressure on the ball in order to keep the Lady Pioneers from locking the score at 3.
Lindsey Cox and Olivia Ming put out a tremendous effort on defense to keep the ball from getting deep into Warren County territory.
Larissa Lopez and Sally Willmore were constantly rushing to play the ball ahead to their awaiting teammates who desperately wanted to tie the game.
With under two minutes to play, Natalie Reed took a pass and split DeKalb County defenders. Reed was in the open with Lady Tiger defenders in hot pursuit on either side of her. The DeKalb goalie was the only player Reed needed to beat. The keeper committed to defend and moved toward Reed.
Warren County fans held their breath as Reed fired a shot. It was in the air and past the keeper, but she got too far under it and the shot sailed just over the crossbar.
It was a tremendous effort to beat the defense and the Lady Pioneers knew it was probably their last good look at a goal. The remaining time ticked off the clock and DeKalb County played keep away for the last 1:30 of the game and defeated the Lady Pioneers on senior night.
Said WCHS coach Todd Willmore, “Unfortunately for our team and especially our seniors, DeKalb played really well and had us playing catch-up all night.”
DeKalb County struck first less than four minutes into the game. The Warren County defenders thought a Lady Tiger player was offsides. The official did not confirm and DeKalb County continued past the defense and found the back of the net.
Play continued and it took Warren County about 16 minutes to respond. On a corner kick, Sally Willmore kicked the ball in and the ball immediately went back to Willmore who launched what appeared to be a pass for a header. The ball sailed long and deflected into the DeKalb County goal off the far-side post untouched by anyone other than Willmore to tie the score at 1-1.
The Lady Tiger defense was relentless and was not afraid to use their body if need be. DeKalb County controlled the ball for the majority of the first half. Just under 10 minutes to play in a similar manner, a pass over the defense led to a second goal fired past the Warren County keeper almost uncontested. The Lady Tigers took a 2-1 lead.
It was not their last goal of the first half. With 3:23 to go in the first half, DeKalb County struck again. The Lady Pioneer defense got caught slightly out of position and it looked like Lady Pioneer Bailey Walker slipped after a quick move to defend against the shot.
DeKalb County led Warren County 3-1 at the half.
In the second half, DeKalb County pounded the Lady Pioneers on both side of the ball. Play started to intensify as officials let them play. Reed took the pass ahead into the far corner and she pulled the trigger on a shot from long distance. It went in, just off the outstretched hands of the DeKalb County keeper. The Lady Pioneers were down 3-2 and it remained that way until time expired.
Warren County fired 15 shots at the DeKalb County goal. Two shots found the back of the net, several shots sailed just over the cross bar or just wide.
DeKalb County shot less with 11 shots on goal but scored three of them. The loss gives the Lady Pioneers an overall record of 8-9 and a district record of 4-1. Warren County earned a first-round bye and will host the winner of Stone Memorial and White County on Oct. 13. A win from there will place Warren County in the district championship game and earn a berth in the regional tournament.
Warren County defeated Cumberland County last Saturday 7-1 in a shortened match due to torrential rain. The Lady Pioneers defeated Franklin County 4-0 on Tuesday.