If you could have predicted any outcome from Tuesday night as the Lowry High School girls soccer team hosted Spring Creek, the final score was not what many thought it would be.
The Spartans picked up two wins over the Lady Bucks during the season, including a 4-2 win in the first Division I-A meeting of the season. Spring entered the match at 10-1-2 and in a tie for second place in the league, while Lowry was playing for its playoff life. Well, that's why they play the game.
The Lady Bucks scored in the 11th minute and never trailed and added five more goals in the second half to shock the Spartans 6-0.
"I am not sure where that came from tonight, but that is how the girls can play," said LHS coach Melanie Rasor. "The girls were pumped up for Spring Creek and it was our pink game. We knew they tied Elko and if we went hard at them, we could beat them. I never thought it would be 6-0. Once we got one, they just came in bunches."
Lowry, who was honoring Breast Cancer Awareness Month with pink uniforms, got a breakaway goal from Monique Rodriguez to take a 1-0 lead in the 11th minute. The Lady Bucks appeared to increase the advantage, when Audrey Jones hit a shot of the bar and Rodriguez was there for the rebound. However, the play was ruled to be offside. Lowry held the 1-0 lead until halftime.
After a scoreless 10 minutes to start the second half, the goals came in a hurry for Lowry. Rodriguez scored on another breakaway opportunity in the 51st minute and Alyssa Jones was left alone two minutes later and she connected to make the score 3-0.
Rodriguez picked up her hat trick in the 66th minute, giving the Lady Bucks a 4-0 lead. A pair of underclassmen got in the act at the end, with Hailey Hinkle scoring in the 72nd minute as a shot went off the goalies hand and Bailey Sapien closed out the scoring in the 80th minute.
"We changed up the formation a little during the match and went with a sweeper and stopper and worked," said Rasor. "We went back to a 4-4-2 and did some good things with it. I think our fitness was a big key again. We are outworking teams."
Lowry improved to 7-6-2 in the Division I-A North and 8-7-3 overall. The victory helped the Lady Bucks in the fight for the fourth and final playoff spot with Elko. Lowry is currently one point ahead of Elko for that spot.
The Lady Bucks closed out the regular season at home against Sparks on Thursday and results were not available at press time. If the Lady Bucks beat the Railroaders that would give them 26 points in league play.
Elko still has to play at South Tahoe and Truckee this weekend and would need to win both matches to knock Lowry out of the playoffs.
Weather permitting, the Division I-A North Regional Championship will be played in Truckee on Friday, Nov. 7, and Saturday, Nov. 8. Spring Creek and Truckee will play in one of the semifinals at 3 p.m. and South Tahoe will either play Elko or Lowry at 3 p.m.
"When our girls play like this it is good and they can compete with anybody," Rasor said. "We are just hoping to get a chance to be in the playoffs and continue the season another week."[[In-content Ad]]
