CENTERTON -- It was March 5 when the Lady Bulldogs played their last contest -- against the Thaden Lady Barnstormers in Bentonville. The March 12 contest against Gentry was canceled due to the untimely death of a Decatur senior, and the March 14 match against Prairie Grove was called due to severe weather. Then, there was the week-long spring break. So, it was not surprising that the Decatur girls were not fully prepared to take on the Life Way Lady Warriors in Centerton March 27.
From the opening kick, the Lady Bulldogs were on the defensive as the Lady Warriors repeatedly attacked Decatur's goal. Decatur goalkeeper California Harrington, along with defenders Jackie Mendoza, Daisy Fuentes and Lorelai Tuinstra, fought off wave after wave of attacks.
At about the 30-minute mark in the first half, the Lady Warriors were able to pierce the Lady Bulldog defense for the first goal of the contest. A few minutes later, Life Way scored its second goal to lead Decatur 2-0.
As the half progressed, the Lady Bulldogs began to regain their confidence and attacked the LifeWay goal. Forward Heaven McGarrah, one of the leading scorers last season, began a series of assaults on the net only to have them foiled by the Lady Warrior goalkeeper. Soon, forwards Jazmine Herrera and Sunshine Thor also tried to slip the ball past the experienced Life Way goalie, but their attempts were unsuccessful as well.
The Lady Warriors picked up one more goal in the first half and two in the second to take a commanding 5-0 lead over Decatur.
The Lady Bulldogs were not quite ready to give up. McGarrah received a long pass from Herrera and fired it past the Life Way defensive line and past the goalkeeper for the only Decatur score of the contest, depriving the Lady Warriors of a shutout victory.
The Life Way Lady Warriors defeated the Decatur Lady Bulldogs 5-1 to pick up the conference win.
The Lady Bulldogs were to be back in action on April 2 (after press time) to take on the Eureka Springs Lady Highlanders in a 5 p.m. contest at Bulldog Stadium in Decatur. Decatur returns to the road on April 4 for a conference contest with the Lincoln Lady Wolves at Wolves Stadium in Lincoln, with a 5 p.m. start.
Mike Eckels/Special to the Eagle Observer
Lady Bulldog Daisy Fuentes (8) blocks a Lady Warrior from the ball as she and teammate Jazmine Herrera (right) fight for control of the ball. The Warriors won the conference contest, 5-1, over the Lady Bulldogs.