Ladybirds fall to Lady Colonels on penalty kicks

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

UNION – Penalty kicks in soccer may seem easy.

But they take as much work as anything in sports. The Highlands Ladybirds found themselves needing to make them to advance in the 9th Region quarterfinals against the Dixie Heights Lady Colonels on Monday.

Highlands could not make enough of them in a 2-1 defeat. The teams made two each in the round of five before going to sudden death rounds. Both teams missed their first two shots. After Highlands missed again, senior Anna Crosthwaite scored to give the Lady Colonels (14-5-1) the win.

Highlands finished 3-11-3 with the loss. That marks the lowest win total in school history. The Ladybirds finished 4-7-2 in their first season in 1987.

“The girls played their guts out against a very good Dixie team,” said Tommy Kearns, Highlands head coach. “Anytime you go to a shootout, you could flip a coin and that thing goes the other way. At the end of the season, we were playing our best (soccer). You hate to see them lose that way. But I’m proud of their effort.”

In the initial round of five, Brooklynn Rivers and Kati Walls made their kicks for Highlands. But Anna Ochs and Chrissy Wolking equaled that for Dixie Heights.

The Ladybirds took the 1-0 lead in the first half when Rivers scored. Highlands held that lead until 3:21 remained in the game. Ali Critcher received a pass off a free kick near the Highlands goal and tied the game. Neither team scored in the two five-minute overtime sessions.

Both teams took 12 shots. Highlands goalkeeper Jesse Daley made five saves. Daley played the entire regulation and overtime sessions. Daley and Sarah Owen took turns defending on the penalty kicks.

The Ladybirds graduate 10 seniors. They are Daley, Walls, Courtney Wiseman, Ava Abner, Maddie Gates, Alli Foellger, Taylor Roy, Paige Kruse, Ally Laycock and Kara Painter. Painter and Abner missed most of the season because of injuries.