WINNEMUCCA - Good things come to those who wait.
After 12 years of heartbreaking losses or ties, the Lowry High School girls soccer team has finally got its win over Spring Creek.
The Lady Bucks made the trip east on I-80 on Tuesday, Sept. 25, and beat the Lady Spartans 2-1 in a match Lowry desperately needed to win, to gain a favorable playoff spot at the end of October.
"I wasn't counting anything until the referee blew her whistle for the last time," said LHS head coach Chris Entwistle. "We have had so many games with Spring Creek decided in the last minute or even seconds. Until that whistle blew anything could happen. With the curse of Spring Creek, I was ready for the ball to fly up by itself and go into the back of our net."
Lowry (4-6-3 overall, 2-5-1 Division I-A, 2-1 Ruby Mountain) had to play from behind in the first half as Spring Creek scored the opening goal of the match. Kira Floge took a direct kick from Kimby Atkinson, and headed the ball past Lowry goalkeeper Savannah Ingram.
"Spring Creek played a tough game," Entwistle said. "They were passing and moving well and got some good shots off. The goal they got was just a great play."
Lowry countered in the first half with an equalizing goal on a shot by Monique Rodriguez. Ingram had just made a save for Lowry and kicked the ball back into play. Ingram's kick went over the top of the Spring Creek defense and Rodriguez was able to take the ball and make the shot.
"The Spring Creek goalie came out and Monique shot it right into the corner of the net," said the coach. "You could have not placed it any better."
The Lady Bucks took the lead for good midway through the second half on a shot by Alyssa Jones, after a throw in by Allison Walker. The Lady Spartans' defense left her open and the sophomore pounded the ball into the back of the net from about 25 yards out.
"You knew something beautiful was going to happen with that shot," Entwistle said. "The ball clipped the bottom of the cross-bar and over the top of the goalie's fingers. It was nice to finally have some luck on our side."
Spring Creek had its chances to tie the match in the second half, as Lowry's Rikki Hamilton was whistled for a foul inside the box. The Lady Spartans were awarded a penalty kick, but the shot by Ali Mendez was stopped by Ingram.
Spring Creek had another opportunity for a goal after Ingram was yellow carded for cursing. The referee could have given Ingram a red card but only handed out a yellow. The Lady Spartans received an indirect free kick near the goal, but could not score on that opportunity as well.
"The official very well could have given her a red card," Entwistle said. "Savannah learned her lesson quickly on that one."
After 13 matches in 26 days, Lowry receives a break in the schedule and doesn't play again until Friday, Oct. 5, against West Wendover in Winnemucca at 3 p.m. The Lady Bucks host White Pine on Saturday, Oct. 6, at 11 a.m.
"It will be nice to have some time off," Entwistle said. "We have a lot of time to heal our injuries and rest our wounds. "We have played a lot of games in a short amount of time. Hopefully, we can get the girls back into tip-top shape."
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