Lady Volunteers get win on penalty kicks
There was a choice to be made by Starkville Academy soccer coach JoJo Dodd and it was a pretty easy one.
With the score tied at 3-3 after regulation of Thursday's match against the Heritage Academy Lady Patriots, the Lady Volunteers had the option of going into overtime or deciding the match on penalty kicks.
Dodd saw what he had in sophomore goal keeper Meri Laci Archer and he knew penalty kicks was the way to go.
Starkville Academy made all three of its penalty kicks, while Archer stopped all of Heritage's attempts and the Lady Vols defeated the Lady Patriots 4-3 at the Starkville Sportsplex.
"She's the best I've ever seen and she's a sophomore," Dodd said of Archer. "It's incredible, so given the option of penalty kicks or overtime, it was an easy choice with her in the goal.
"We practiced this week on penalty kicks and the girls obviously responded really well. They managed to pull through."
Mia Kate Cade, Milla Davis and Amber Bock each made a penalty kick for Starkville Academy, while Archer turned back Heritage Academy.
Davis said it was teamwork that lifted the Lady Vols.
"Going into penalty kicks is a special time for a team," Davis said. "You have to rely on each other, but also yourself. Everyone is watching you and it's a time to show what you can do. We came up with a strategy as a team to shoot well in the corner and we weren't nervous because Meri Laci knew what she was doing and that's part of trusting your team because you know your teammates are going to do their best."
The Lady Patriots took early control of the match by scoring the first two goals.
Lake Little helped Starkville Academy cut the lead to 2-1 with her goal before halftime.
It concerned Dodd to see his team get off to the slow start, but was happy to see it respond.
"Down 2-0, we didn't come out as strong as we hoped and that's something we have to improve on going into the playoffs," Dodd said. "You have to play a full 80 minutes. Thankfully, the last 40 were ours."
In the second half, Amber Bock scored the first of two goals in regulation for the Lady Vols to tie the match at 2-2, then Heritage knocked in a penalty kick to regain the advantage.
Bock put in her second goal of the match in the final 2 minutes of regulation as SA tied it at 3-3 and forced penalty kicks.
The Lady Vols knew it was big to get the match to the point where penalty kicks would be the difference.
"It was a really intense moment, but I had faith in my team," Starkville Academy senior Karlee McNeel said. "We've had a great season and have a great team. I had full confidence in them coming in. Meri Laci is the best goalie in the state and going against their team, I had full confidence in them."
The victory capped off a successful senior day for McNeel, Davis, JonHayden Adcock, Alyssa Canoy and Mary Margaret McReynolds.
Davis said the seniors are a close group and pull together when times get tough.
"We love encouraging each other," Davis said. "We are a team and we need each other."
The Lady Vols finished a perfect 6-0 in the district and are now 10-1 overall.
After already claiming the district championship earlier in the season, Dodd said Starkville Academy worked hard to keep an unbeaten district mark.
"To come out and play as hard as we did against Heritage, our rival, it's important for (the seniors)," Dodd said. "If they had beaten us, they would have went to the playoffs. They came here and wanted it. They are a much improved team."
There are two more regular season matches for the Lady Vols, both at home. They take on Starkville Home School on Monday and Pillow Academy on Thursday.
Starkville Academy hosts the first round of the playoffs on October 3.