Girls fall to Shiloh in double overtime

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

— The Shiloh Christian and Gentry girls soccer teams entered Saturday’s showdown nearly identical and played an evenly-matched game for 96 minutes until Tracey Mardis’ golden goal gave the Lady Saints a 2-1 win and the 4A-1 Conference championship.

“I think we’re about as even as you can get,” first-year Shiloh coach Tommy Roy said. “We were fortunate to come out on the winning side. I think both teams were a little bit tight knowing what was on the line.”

Both sides had chances to score in an up-tempo second half and the first overtime.

Gentry defender Ausha Griffin broke up a couple of Shiloh fast breaks while the Lady Saints (12-0, 7-0) knocked away several Gentry corner kicks that crossed the front of the goal.

Gentry had another corner kick turned awayin the first overtime while Lady Pioneers goalie Terra Jones made a save on Shiloh’s lone shot.

“I thought we played well,” Gentry coach Dan Childress said. “We created some opportunities.”

“I thought we took it to them pretty good (in the second half ) as far as keeping the ball in front of the goal and creating chances. But ultimately, you’re going to have to finish them,” Childress said.

The winning goal came on Mardis’ one-touch shot high in the net after a Shiloh corner kick in the second overtime.

Gentry threatened early, getting a shot off the cross bar in the third minute and then scoring at the nine-minute mark.

Yochabel Perales had a corner kick knocked down by Shiloh goalie Pauline Doubleday but put the rebound inside the far post for a 1-0 lead.

The Lady Saints controlled the rest of the first half and tied the score when Madison Lowe hada shot deflect off a Gentry player and into the net.

Roy also credited Lowe for shutting down Kendra Boyd, Gentry’s scoring leader. Sweeper Emily Kennedy and midfielder Hayley Hannah also helped Shiloh control the game against Gentry’s wide attack.

The Lady Saints will take the conference’s top seed into this week’s Class 4A State Tournament at Burns Park in North Little Rock.

Shiloh will play the fourth seed from 4A-3 at 10 a.m. Friday while Gentry (10-2, 6-1) will play the 4A-3’s third seed at 2 p.m.

Prep Soccer 4 A-1 Conference

SHILOH CHRISTIAN 2 GENTRY 1

Shiloh 1 0 0 1 - 2 Gentry 1 0 0 0 - 1 First half Gentry - Perales, 9:00 Shiloh - Gentry OG, 22:00 Second overtime Shiloh - Mardis, 96:00

Sports, Pages 7 on 04/28/2010