MA loses to Indianola in sudden death


Thursday, September 10, 2009
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MA loses to Indianola in sudden death

Coach Lance McGregor saw two different Marshall Academy soccer teams last week – one playing with intensity and one without.

The Lady Patriots lost in sudden death 8-7 to Indianola, and then fell 2-0 at Magnolia Heights.

MA-Indianola

“I’m so proud of every girl on this team,” McGregor said after the hard-fought loss on the road. “We have our backs against the wall, but we keep on fighting and clawing. There is so much heart and effort left out on the field with this team and I feel lucky to be a part of it.”

Indianola beat MA 9-0 the first time and this time the Lady Patriots played the Lady Colonels to a 2-2 tie in regulation.

Neither team scored in the overtime periods; and on penalty kicks, Indianola won in sudden death on the 12th kick.

“During regulation, I felt we had scored a goal. However, the play was deemed illegal contact,” McGregor said. “There was a shot on goal and their goalie knocked it down. I never felt that possession was established. The ball was still on the ground and Megan Isbell kicked it away and a shot was taken, which was good for a goal, except the call.

“It’s a tough call to make on the official’s part; he’s trying to protect the girls and I can appreciate that, but it just hurts for that to go against you.”

Indianola struck first three minutes into the match as MA again came out a bit flat.

“From that moment on, we looked absolutely great out there,” he said. “We had great looks at goal and just missed on a couple.

“Our defense has stepped up so much these last few games and they are making a huge difference. Kristin Mynatt gets “Player of the Game” here. Her save percentage was 91 percent and the second goal was purely a miscommunication and there was nothing she could have done to prevent it.”

Both of Marshall’s goals came in the second half. Lauralee Fant broke through the middle of the Indianola defense and hit a corner to tie the game at one in the 42nd minute. M.C. Hutchens made a nice pass to Claire Liddy to tie the game again in the 75th minute.

“It seemed everything they did, we would have an answer for,” McGregor said.

During penalty kicks the Lady Patriots got goals from Liddy, Amanda Rhea, Rachel Cole, Sara Walker and Ali Hutchens.

“Reagan Elliott had a nice kick that hit the bar and fell straight down and just barely missed going over the line, which would have given us the win,” he said. “Megan Isbell was on goal duty during penalty kicks and did a nice job of giving us a chance.

“This was the best match we’ve played this year.”

MA-Magnolia Heights

The next day at Magnolia Heights was a different story from an intensity and performance standpoint.

“I’m not completely sure what happened here, but we were completely outplayed by Magnolia,” Coach McGregor said.

“Our effort was down and we played with very little intensity.”

In the first half, Marshall had a couple of looks at the goal but couldn’t connect.

“We really never got a good shot on goal,” he said.

The game was scoreless at the half, and “we just weren’t into the game,” McGregor said.

“A lot of it could have been the fact we are coming off a tough loss, or the fact we were physically and mentally drained, but we have to find a way dig deep within ourselves and come out and compete no matter who we are playing.”

The Lady Patriots never got a shot on goal in the second half.

“With them controlling the ball on our end of the field most of the game, they were able to find the goal on two occasions.

“I felt Kristin Mynatt played well enough to keep us in the game and gave us a chance. Also I really appreciate the effort that Lauralee Fant and Ali Hutchens put forth. They really kept us in the game and just never really got much help.

“We are a much better team than we showed against Magnolia and we have a few days to put this behind us and come out and give our best game to Bayou on Tuesday,” McGregor said.

Schedule

MA was slated to play at Bayou on September 8. The Lady Pats host Manchester Thursday, Sept. 10, at 4 p.m. and Magnolia Heights comes to Holly Springs Monday, Sept. 14, at 4 p.m.

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