Ella Knauss and the Wylie girls soccer team battled but came up one kick short in a 1-0 loss to Grand Oaks in the Region II-6A Division I semifinal in Georgetown on Friday night. Photo by Elijah Kloepping / C&S Media
By David Wolman
GEORGETOWN — After scoring eight goals over their first two playoff games, offense became harder to find for the Wylie girls soccer team during Friday’s Region II-6A Division I Semifinal against Grand Oaks.
In a game in which neither team couldn’t covert hardly any of their scoring chances into goals, it came down two penalty kicks, both in the second half.
Wylie had a penalty kick saved in the 54th minute, while Grand Oaks’ Addison Robertson easily converted her PK with 17 minutes remaining in the match. Robertson’s scored held up, sending the Lady Pirates to a hard-fought 1-0 loss at Birkelbach Field.
“I literally have no words,” head coach Shelby Ternus said. “The girls fought until the end. The one thing that I can say is proud, proud of the effort that they have given tonight and all season long.”
After the two teams played to a 0-0 halftime tie, Wylie was given a chance to get on the board first. The Lady Pirates were awarded a penalty kick 16 minutes into the second half after junior Kennedy Butler was tripped from behind. Butler stepped up to the line to take the ensuing kick, but Grand Oaks goalkeeper Camryn Cumbie dove to her right and made a hand save.
Junior Ronelyse Hartfield tracked down the rebound and passed to Butler in the middle of the field. However, a Grizzlies defender deflected the ball out of play just as Butler got a foot on the ball, keeping the score tied 0-0.
“I was really proud of Kennedy for having the courage to step up and take it,” Ternus said. “It’s such a big game. There’s a lot of pressure. She hit it well. The keeper just made a fantastic save.”
The match remained scoreless until the 17-minute mark. Grand Oaks was awarded a penalty kick after a Wylie defender brought a Grizzlies forward to the ground with her arm inside the penalty area. Robertson stepped up to the line and kicked the ball inside the right post for a 1-0 Grand Oaks lead.
“It’s so hard to tell,” Ternus said of the foul. “Refereeing is so subjective. I have my point of view from the sideline. Obviously, I would like to say it wasn’t. It’s a tough job refereeing. Hats off to them for being here in such a big game.”
Wylie had its chances late, including two corner kicks over the final 2:20, but the Lady Pirates couldn’t produce the equalizer and their season ended in the regional semifinals.
The Lady Pirates finished with a 20-7 record in Ternus’ first season as head coach, which included wins over Rockwall-Heath in bi-district and Waco Midway in the area round.
“We had our chances tonight,” Ternus said. “It was just one of those nights where the ball didn’t bounce our way and it bounces their way.”
Also Friday, the Wylie boys couldn’t build on a halftime lead in a 2-1 loss to Klein Cain in a Region II-6A Division I semifinal at Georgetown’s East View High School.
Freshman Luke Montgomery continued his red-hot start to the postseason by scoring a goal with four minutes left in the first half for a 1-0 Pirates lead.
Klein Cain tied the score at 1-1 with 31:26 left in the second half before taking a 2-1 lead with 8:21 remaining in regulation.
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