Goals were hard to come by for the Lowry High School girls soccer team.
Since beating Churchill County 7-0 way back on Sept. 13, the Lady Bucks scored a combined eight goals in their next 12 matches.
That all changed Thursday afternoon, as the Lady Bucks celebrated senior day in style with a 9-1 victory over Sparks. The match ended five minutes early due to the NIAA mercy rule.
Lowry scored early and often in its season finale, with senior Shelby Garrison breaking through the Sparks defense for an easy goal in the opening minute.
Garrison found the back of the net eight minutes later for her second goal of the day. Fellow senior Hailey Hinkle got on the scoreboard for the first of her four goals in the 13th minute. Hinkle took a corner kick from Hailey Fernandez and popped the ball in the back of the net.
Erin Acosta found an open net in the 34th minute and the junior finished the play with a goal, giving the Lady Bucks a 4-0 advantage.
Sparks scored its lone goal on a penalty kick on the final play of the first half. The Lady Bucks fouled a Railroader player in the 18-yard box, leading to the shot.
Hinkle added her second goal three minutes into the second half, as she weaved her way through the Sparks defense and found an easy shot past the goalie.
Five minutes later, Hinkle was fouled in the box, which gave Lowry a penalty kick. Fernandez took the shot and gave Lowry a 6-1 lead.
Hinkle continued her best offensive performance of the year with two more goals in the 59th and 65th minute to increase the margin to 8-1. The game concluded in the 75th minute with Garrison's third goal of the day.
The Railroaders were playing down a player late in the match, due to their goalie getting a red card. Garrison went in for a rebound off a shot and collided with the goalie. As they went to the ground, the Sparks goalie threw a punch at Garrison.
Lowry finished the year at 4-11-1 in the Northern 3A and graduates nine seniors.
