Tiger Cubs lose to Crawfordsville in PK shootout

Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Sydney Secrest scores a goal during the penalty kick period on Tuesday. (Banner Graphic/GRANT WIEMAN)

The Greencastle girls' soccer team was knocked out of the Indiana High School Athletic Association sectional tournament in heartbreaking fashion on Tuesday.

The Tiger Cubs took a momentary 3-1 lead in penalty kick goals when senior Melody White ripped her shot past the Crawfordsville goalkeeper and the team, told by a referee that the match was over, celebrated like it had won the game.

But the Athenians had two shots left, scored on both, then scored an unanswered goal on the sudden-death sixth kicker to secure the 1-1 (4-3) win and advance to Thursday's semifinals.

"This is probably one of the most exciting matches that will happen in this tournament," GHS coach Jamie Grivas said. "We were hoping to go on to Thursday but it was a good game and if that's the way you're going to go out ...

"It's a little bittersweet but at least we didn't lose it because we didn't play hard."

Tied at 1-all after regulation, and through extra time, Grivas said she was confident in her team's chances in a PK contest.

The team has been dead-on in practice throughout the year and sophomore goalkeeper Amelia Smith was dominant during the game. Smith finished with 20 saves, including several diving stops against one-on-one chances.

"The last couple of games she's played phenomenally," Grivas said. "She came out strong tonight. ... I thought we were going to take it in the PKs. I thought Amelia's an awesome goalie; I've got five solid kickers up here."

The Greencastle team allowed just one goal in the last 134 minutes of action against Crawfordsille, including the second half in a meeting earlier this year and the full regulation and extra time on Tuesday.

The Tiger Cubs came out playing with confidence and aggression like they hadn't all year, something Grivas said she tried to focus on after learning from the 3-2 loss to the Athenians in August.

"When we played Crawfordsville in the regular season we stood flat on our feet and let them run circles around us in the first half," she said. "The second half we played like we did the first half today (and proved) we were clearly capable of hanging with them. ... I told the girls, 'This is your chance for redemption. It's this or go home.'"

GHS junior Sydney Secrest scored less than four minutes in when she ripped a shot past senior Mary Greer from 22 yards out.

The Tiger Cubs kept the pressure on, trying to keep the Athenians off balance and not giving them a chance to set up. Greencastle worked the ball around and tried to find quality shots instead of settling for soft chances.

It worked for a while, but the Athenians blitzed through the midline and had several breakaways, led by speedy junior Hannah Whicker.

Smith was nearly impassible and the Tiger Cub defenders worked to get back into position to prevent rebound chances.

The Athenians finally broke through with 3:18 left when freshman Cali Saunders scored from the left wing after a crossing pass was deflected.

The offense stalled for both teams in the second half and in overtime as Greencastle tried to work its way to a chance to lean on its strong legs and calm, talented goalkeeper.

Greencastle took the first turn in the PK shootout, aiming at the east net as the goalkeeper looked into the setting sun.

GHS sophomore Katie Rose Parsons scored on her attempt, but was matched by sophomore Reilley Dunham.

Sophomore Hannah Brattain went next for the Tiger Cubs, aiming straight up the middle and into the awaiting arms of Greer. Sophomore Krystyn Flynn missed the net for Crawfordsville, leaving the score at 1-1 after two rounds.

Secrest shot next for Greencastle, going high and right and drilling the ball into the twine, and sophomore Emily Cullen missed for the Athenians.

White's goal came in from the left and the team exploded with energy. White and Smith raced back to great their teammates but Smith was sent back into net, knowing she now had two chances to get one stop.

Whicker went first, going low past Smith and setting up a dual between goalkeepers.

Smith, Greencastle's fifth shooter, walked out of the net and approached the stripe knowing a goal would win it and send the team on to the semifinals.

Her shot froze Greer but clanged off the crossbar and over the goal.

Sophomore Gracie Munroe was the fifth and final shooter for the Athenians, getting the ball past Smith to usher in a sudden-death series with five new shooters.

Senior Rosio Gomez went first for the Tiger Cubs.


"She played the ball like we talked about, low and to a corner," Grivas said. "That's the hardest thing for the goalie to get. It was just a little wide, but that's exactly what we were looking for."

Her near miss set up sophomore Lizzy Katzenberger with a chance to be the hero, and she scored to give the Athenians the win and a trip to Thursday's semifinal against Cascade.

While the end of the season was wrenching, the game and year as a whole made Grivas proud of her team.

Gomez, White and senior Brittany Friars played a big part in that, Grivas said.

"These girls have come so far, the seniors especially," she said. "Brit and Rosio held the backline the whole game. They stepped through. And this was probably one of the best games I've seen Melody play all season. She was just on fire tonight.

"They all played with so much heart. You could see it on their faces. They have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. ... To walk away tonight from a game like this -- the composure that they have, the leadership that they have -- that helped get us here. They helped keep people level-headed out there on the field."

The sectional semifinals are Thursday at Greencastle High School. Cascade advanced by beating North Montgomery 2-1.



IHSAA Girls' Soccer Sectional
Quarterfinals at Greencastle

Crawfordsville...........1 0 -- 1
Greencastle...............1 0 -- 1
(Crawfordsville won 4-3 on penalty kicks)

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: