The Lady Lions soccer team’s history-making winning streak of 7-0 in conference took a turn for the worst this past weekend when they faced off against the Memphis Tigers in Tennessee and lost 3-1.
The trip leading up to the match started the Thursday before game day when the soccer players and coaches loaded up at noon. They traveled for six hours with the Southeastern team arriving late afternoon in Memphis. The game took place at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex.
The Friday night game seemed to favor the Lions when forward Kayla Vera sent the soccer ball soaring into the goal with an assist from fellow forward Bri Singh.
“It was a really great combo shot,” said Head Coach Blake Hornbuckle.
The shot was Vera’s third of the season. Singh’s control over the ball factored into the final outcome of the game at the end of the night.
The girls kept the power in the first 30 minutes of the game working seamlessly together. However, in the game’s 29th minute the Memphis Tigers scored their first goal, tying the game. Shortly after, they broke through the Lions’ defenses again. The Lions continued to strive for the upper hand and pushed through the Tigers’ defense, making shots towards the goal that would be deflected in the end.
The last goal scored in the game would be in favor of the Tigers, a shot taken just two minutes into the second half. After that, neither team was able to completely gain the upper hand over the other.
Even when facing adversity the Lady Lions were not down for the count. Vera continued to pressure the opposing team’s defensive players throughout the game. Chelsea Villaescusa excelled when facing off with any rival player, shutting down plays that threatened to add weight to the constant tipping of the scale against the lions.
With a total of 14 shots taken toward her, goalie Hope Sabadash defended 11 of them. Those fateful three being the only to break past her. This also set a personal record-breaking status for the goalkeeper.
Another key player was Katie Noonan, whose throw-ins Hornbuckle praised as “a great weapon against the other team.”
The next two games of the season are being held in Hammond at the Southeastern Soccer Complex. Admission is free for all home games.