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Oaks Impress but Edged in Overtime
Oakland City 2-3 Bryan College
After conceding twice in the first half the Lady Oaks fought back to tie the game at 2 with a pair of goals from Chrissy Longest (New Albany, IN). Oakland City continued to press until Bryan stole the game in double overtime.
The Lady Oaks started well causing pressure down the left immediately and forced a corner in the first couple of minutes. The Lady Oaks attention of Bryan record scorer Abigail Sneade was making it hard for her to impress on the game and when she broke clean through Stephanie Taylor (Morganfield, KY) burst from her line to make an excellent save. Bryan started to come into the game more finding space down their right and throwing some dangerous crosses into the box.
Bryan took the lead when they found Snead on the edge of the box, the double team made her drop the ball off first time only for Aubre Mjolhus to drill it left footed into the far corner.
Oakland City were still looking for their attacking rythmn, although Danielle Hinton (Jeffersonville, IN) was causing problems down the right and putting in some dangerous crosses. It was Bryan who tallied next, though, when the Lady Oaks failed to deal with a cross and Snead pounced to stab home.
Oakland City entered the second half looking to solve a couple of defensive issues and hoping to capitalise on their attacking efforts. They started well with Hinton causing havoc down the wings and it was from one of these breaks down the right that that Longest pulled the first one back. Breaking past her two markers Hinton bent the ball into the near post area where Longest had pulled in front of her marker and the goalkeeper to steer the ball in with her head.
The goal was the boost that Oakland City needed and they poured forward in search of the equaliser. It came with just over 20 minutes remaining when Hinton's quick throw-in found Britnye Smith (Washington, IN) on the edge of the area and her first time cross was chested down by Longest and steered past the goalkeeper.
The rest of the half continued in that vein, the Lady Oaks pressing but Bryan continually asking questions on the break. Neither team managed to break the deadlock in the remainder of normal time nor the first half of overtime. As the game got older and Oakland City defenders began to tire more space opened up for Bryan's Snead. She went close after a break down the left straight from the kick off in the second half of overtime and three minutes later made no mistake from an identical situation.
"I was incredible proud of the girl's performance today" Coach Botterill said after the match, "To comeback from two goals down against a team that beat us by five last year shows an enormous amount of mental strength. I think after the efforts we've put in this season and the way we played from the second half onwards we deserved the victory, but Bryan are a very good team and I know they will represent the region well at the National Tournament."