MA girls soccer falls in double OT shootout to Holy Spirit 3-2
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (ahsaa.com) — Goalkeepers Blakley Jones of Holy Spirit Catholic and Dora Eskridge of Montgomery Academy battled through 80 regulation minutes, two five-minute overtime periods and then defended goal on six straight kicks in the shootout before finally meeting face to face in a final showdown.
With the scored tied 2-2 after regulation and 4-4 after the first shootout, the two keepers deflected the sixth shot on goal by each squad to set up No. 7. Holy Spirit’s Elena Spence made her goal as the seventh player from Holy Spirit to take a shot. Montgomery Academy then sent Eskridge to the line and Jones deflected the goalkeeper’s kick to seal a 3-2 win for Coach Arthur Howington’s Titans.
Holy Spirit (16-0-0) will play Westbrook Christian (24-0-0) in the Class 1A-3A girls’ state finals Friday at 5 p.m. here at Huntsville’s John Hunt Soccer Complex. Jordan Richmond scored both goals in regulation for the Titans with both coming just five minutes apart in the second half. Cari Budny had the contest’s first goal at 49:30 to give Montgomery Academy a 1-0 lead. After Jordan put Holy Spirit ahead 2-1, Tara Katz scored at 65:35 to tie the match.
Jones finished with nine saves – and had three more important ones in the shootout. Eskridge had four saves overall including two in the shootout.
Scoring goals in the first shootout for Holy Spirit were Richmond, Lily Rogers, Marley Mills and Laura Spence. Scoring goals for the Eagles were Gracie Trulove, Austyn Barnes, Katz and Maggie Chambers.
