The Lowry High School girls soccer team knocked off previously undefeated Churchill County 3-1 on Thursday in Winnemucca to earn a home playoff match.
Throughout the season, the Lowry High School girls soccer team was enjoying its most successful year in league play with a shot at hosting a postseason match on its home field for the first time in more than 15 years.
The Northern 3A East was top-heavy at the front with Churchill County, Lowry and Elko.
Despite coming in a 14-2-1 to the regular-season finale last Thursday against Churchill County, the Lady Bucks needed a little help from a rival to accomplish that stay at home for the first round of the playoffs.
This fall, Elko beat Lowry and the two squads tied during the regular season, leaving the Indians with a tiebreaker.
Lowry's Cleo Fowler makes a diving save off a shot by Churchill County..
Elko and Lowry had nearly identical records but the Lady Bucks needed the Indians to slip up in one of their final three matches last week.
In the crazy world of high school sports that happened as Spring Creek tied Elko 0-0, leaving an inside shot at the No. 2 seed and probably an order of flowers to the Spartans from the Lady Bucks.
The only problem that was standing in the way on Thursday in Winnemucca, was an undefeated Churchill County squad at 17-0-0 in the Northern 3A East.
The Greenwave blitzed the Lady Bucks 6-0 in Fallon.
It didn’t start well, as Karlie Simper got through the Lowry defense in the 20th minute a popped a shot over Lowry’s Cleo Fowler. The Greenwave led 1-0 at halftime.
Looking at an along road trip to South Tahoe on Monday, it was an entirely different story in the final 40 minutes.
Britain Backus scored the first of her two goals in the 50th minute off an assist from Yareli Avila.
Lowry’s offense continued to pressure the Churchill County defense and took a 2-1 advantage in the 62nd minute on a goal by Backus that was assisted by Natalya Guizar.
Lowry's Adalyn Entwistle throws the ball back into play.
The final blow came three minutes later, as sophomore Kaitlin Messmer used her left foot from the left side of the net from 20 yards that landed in the corner for the final goal of the night and a 3-1 win for Lowry.
“That was probably the best half of soccer I have seen the girls play,” said LHS coach Chris Entwistle. “The first time we played didn’t show what kind of team we are. No one thought we had a chance to beat them but the girls believed in themselves. It is a huge accomplishment and honor to host a playoff game.”
Senior Cleo Fowler, in her final regular season home match finished with eight saves and keeping Churchill County off the board in the final 60 minutes.
“She played excellent,” Entwistle said. “The way our league is set up, she only really gets challenged by three teams and that’s six matches. She doesn’t get a lot of work in the other matches but she came up big today.”
The Northern 3A Regional Championships got underway on Monday and Tuesday.
Lowry hosted North Valleys on Tuesday and results were not available at press time.
Truckee/Spring Creek played Monday and are in the part of the bracket with Lowry.
Churchill County/North Tahoe and South Tahoe/Elko are in the top half of the bracket.
The four winners advance to the semifinals on Friday in Fallon at Churchill County High School. The championship is Saturday at 10 a.m. or noon.
The two finalists advance to the state tournament on Nov. 8-9 at Dayton High School.