CLOSE QUARTERS — Steubenville’s Bailee Beall tries to fight loose from Tri-Valley’s Kandice Spry to get control of the ball. - Kailin Hughes

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Big Red’s incredible season came to a tough end Monday as the Red fell 2-1 to No. 1 seeded Tri-Valley on the turf at Red Devils’ Stadium in St. Clairsville.

Facing a talented team that dropped down from Division I competition a season ago, Steubenville head coach Annie Cutri felt her team gave a solid accounting of itself against the Scotties.

It’s just when the horn sounded, the result didn’t go the designated visitors’ way.

“I thought we played better, our build ups in terms of soccer and we were able to adjust to what they had, but sometimes, soccer doesn’t go the way you want it to but I thought we outplayed them,” Cutri offered as Big Red finished its season with a 14-4 mark.

The Scotties (14-2-2) advance to Wednesday’s district final opposite No. 3 seed John Glenn. The Little Muskies of Dover by a 2-1 margin late Monday evening.

Big Red was forced to play the final 15 minutes without leading scorer Bailee Beall, who went down hard on the turf after a successful challenge by a Scotties’ defender and needed carried off the field. She was the second Steubenville player that was injured and unable to return as sophomore Jolee Lombardo was lost for the game earlier in the second half.

It was evident early that Tri-Valley’s plan was to make Big Red work for every shot it got and, in particular, not allow Beall, the Ohio Valley’s goals and scoring leader, to get a solid look at the net.

A speedy back line served the Scotties purpose, allowing other defenders recover quickly to prevent any runs while Beall was hounded consistently.

“Their back line is very fast, 100 percent, and very physical,” Cutri said. “Anytime Bailee had the ball they had two girls on her and it was unfortunate that the shots we did get were right at that girl in green (in net),”

Big Red sent eight shots toward Scotties’ keeper Mackenzie Harvey, with the senior turning away seven. Most of those required little movement on her part to record the save.

The two teams played even for about 15 minutes before Tri-Valley struck first. Amerie Nichols found an open Maddie Garber on the right side, and Garber blasted a shot toward the left half of the net past a diving Mady Thacker.

The score remained 1-0 through halftime, but Big Red came out determined to not the score.

Amelia Collopy struck a well placed ball cross field to the left third of the field where freshman Luxy Saccoccia ran under it, made a move and fired a cross shot out of the reach of Harvey.

The tied score seemed to rejuvenate Big Red, but the momentary boost last only a few minutes.

Tri-Valley’s Nevaeh Peffers got loose on a run and looked to get a runaway attempt at Thacker. The Big Red defense caught up to Peffers at the last minute, forcing a late-hour directional shift with the ball. Peffers took a crossing shot that Thacker dove for and appeared to stop, but when she landed, the ball squirted loose and it rolled into the back of the net.

While the season came to an end, Cutri noted this year’s team played with the most camaraderie and chemistry of any team’s she’s coached during her tenure.

Many of the integral parts return, meaning the future looks bright for the Big Red program.

“We had a lot of younger players out on that field,” she said. “This is all prep for the continued growth of this program. These girls are very supportive of ach other, and there heart is in it.

“It’s unfortunate it ended this way, but the future is bright.”