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CALCUTTA – The Big Red girls’ soccer team put up quite a fight against No. 1 seed Beaver Local.
Unfortunately, the third time was not the charm for the Red-and-Black.
In the third meeting of the OVAC rivals this season, the Beavers’ Leah Stewart netted the lone game of the game in the second overtime period lifting Beaver Local to a 1-0 victory in an Ohio Division III Eastern District Semifinal Monday night up at Pastore Field.
Big Red goalie Jodeci Green was able to get her hands on Stewart’s shot, however, the junior was unable to prevent the ball from going into the back of the net.
“Heartbreaking, definitely, especially when we were doing everything right,” Big Red (10-7-1) head coach Annie Cutri said. “We dominated that game. Unfortunately, instead of having 11 v 11 on the field. It was 11 v. 11 plus three referees. I just don’t know what to say with the amount of calls that were missed, and those were big calls that could have swayed the game. Yeah, heartbreaking. The fact that we played without Jaylin Crites – she probably has a broken arm at this point, broken wrist – but a key player was taken out, and then another key player got taken out on our backline. Yeah, we were playing without two key players, and I give it to our girls because even playing down like that they still took them into double overtime. They left everything out on the field. Unfortunately, things did not go our way tonight.”
With the win, Beaver Local (14-5) will now play No. 2 seed Tri-Valley in the district final at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday out at Wagner Field. Tri-Valley advanced to the title tilt by defeating No. 5 seed Zanesville, 8-0, via mercy rule Monday night in the other semifinal.
Stewart’s goal enabled the girls from Columbiana County to defeat Big Red for the third time this season. All three games were played at Beaver Local.
The Beavers defeated Big Red, 3-1, Sept. 15 during the regular season before winning the second matchup, 4-3, in an OVAC Class 5A Tournament Semifinal Sept. 21.
“We knew their gameplan,” Cutri said. “Seven (Peyton) and 11 (Stewart) are their go to. Unfortunately, that was the only goal of the game. We did not shut down 11 like we should have.”
Big Red had plenty of opportunities to score, but the girls in the white jerseys were unable to find the back of the net. Luck was not on their side as the girls from Jefferson County had a potential game-winning shot hit off the post in the first overtime.
“Again, we had the chances, but it just didn’t go our way tonight,” Cutri said.
The loss snapped Big Red’s five-game winning streak.
“Looking back on the season, this has probably been the strongest schedule I have played and the girls have played since I have been the coach,” Cutri said. “If we want to talk about facing adversity and playing till the final whistle, these girls are doing it.”
The game was the final one for the team’s five seniors – Gianna Thomas, Kenzy Petrelle, Ali Pierce, Adrianna Crabtree and Jolee Lombardo.
“Obviously, we are going to miss the seniors,” Cutri said. “These girls have been starters since they were itty bitty freshmen. They are a big part of the program, and they played their hearts out tonight.”