In the mind of its coach, the Emporia High girls soccer team played its best game of the year in its Regional matchup against Shawnee Heights on Tuesday.
The Lady Spartans probably would have liked to have had a little bit of luck instead.
Shawnee Heights defeated EHS, 2-1, in double overtime after the Lady Thunderbirds scored the game-winning goal in the 95th minute when the ball bounced off Nicole Main’s knee — unintentionally — and into the goal.
“This was our girls’ best game of the year,” EHS coach John Decker said. “They really played a good game.
“It was a horrible way to lose.”
In the second overtime, an EHS handball gave Shawnee Heights a free kick from about 20 yards out. The kick from Stefine Pease went into a group of players in front of the net, and after the ball bounced around between players, Main went to kick it but instead missed.
However, the ball came down on her knee and ricocheted into the net past EHS goalkeeper Melanie Nuessen, giving the Lady Thunderbirds the victory.
“She just stuck her leg up in the air and it (the ball) went into the net,” Decker said. “It’s heartbreaking to lose, but they (the EHS players) have nothing to be ashamed of.”
The Lady Spartans (9-9) hung with the always-physical Lady T-Birds (14-2-1) for the entirety of regulation, as Jessica Decker’s header in the 68th minute tied the game at 1, which would eventually force overtime.
Decker’s goal came off a Jennifer Knickerbocker pass on a free kick from about 40 yards out. Knickerbocker sent the free kick toward the net, where the waiting Decker headed it over the outstretched hands of Shawnee Heights goalkeeper Mallorie Monhollon to bring the Lady Spartans even with Shawnee Heights.
“It was a beautiful ball by Knickerbocker and a nice job by Jessica to get her head on it,” John Decker said. “The keeper got a hand on it, but the ball had too much on it, and it went into the net.”
The two teams played the rest of regulation and the first overtime to a stalemate before Main’s goal in the waning stages of the second overtime ended Emporia’s shot at a berth in the Regional final.
“The girls took it hard ... but I was extremely proud of the way they played,” Decker said. “We controlled the game. Our possession was excellent tonight, and I thought we handled the physical aspect and their speed well.
“It’s just hard to keep them (Shawnee Heights) out of the goal for 90-some minutes.”
Tuesday at Topeka
Shawnee Heights 2, Emporia 1 (2OT)
Emporia 0 1 0 0 — 1
Shawnee Heights 0 1 0 1 — 2
Second Half
SH — Kacy Covert (assist from Nicole Main), 42nd minute
Emp — Jessica Decker (assist from Jenifer Knickerbocker), 68th minute
Second Overtime
SH — Main (assist from Stefine Pease), 95th minute
Shots on goal — Emporia 12, SH 14. Saves — Emporia: Nuessen 12. SH: Mallorie Monhollon 11. Corner kicks — Emporia 3, SH 6. Total fouls — Emporia 11, SH 19. Yellow cards — SH: Covert. Emporia: Muckenthaler.
Emporia High
baseball postponed
The Emporia High baseball team’s game against Great Bend in the opening round of the Class 5A Regional tournament in Great Bend was suspended Tuesday because of rain.
Emporia and Great Bend will face off at 2 p.m. on Thursday in Great Bend.