| Season record:
17-5-2 |
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| 2003 Roster | |||||||
| # | Name | Class | Goals | Assists | Points | Shootout | Shutouts |
| Varsity Team | |||||||
| 25 | Lindsay Carlisle | 10th | – | – | – | – | – |
| 18 | Kari Clark | 10th | 10 | 6 | 26 | 1 | – |
| 8 | Laura Clinton | 12th | – | – | – | – | – |
| 9 | Katie Delozier | 12th | 1 | – | 2 | – | – |
| 22 | Dana Deptola | 10th | 5 | 2 | 12 | – | – |
| 17 | Hope Eng | 12th | – | – | – | – | – |
| 28 | Chelsea Farley | 9th | 1 | 1 | 3 | – | – |
| 23 | Monique Force | 11th | 1 | 1 | 3 | – | – |
| 4 | Jessica Gottbrath | 11th | – | – | – | – | – |
| 24 | Stephanie Hay | 12th | 14 | 17 | 45 | 1 | 0.50 |
| 2 | Michelle Huber | 12th | – | 1 | 1 | – | – |
| 3 | Jenny Lindell | 11th | – | – | – | – | – |
| 20 | Kirstyn Lowery | 11th | – | – | – | – | – |
| 11 | Amanda Moore | 10th | 16 | 4 | 36 | – | – |
| 12 | Katie Moore | 12th | 1 | 4 | 6 | – | – |
| 0 | Lynsey Nichols | 11th | – | – | – | – | 0.25 |
| 30 | Allison O’Bryan | 11th | 1 | – | 2 | – | – |
| 16 | Chelsea Rueff | 11th | – | 1 | 1 | – | – |
| 19 | Stacie Silvers | 10th | 2 | 1 | 5 | – | – |
| 26 | Rachel Sipp | 9th | – | – | – | – | – |
| 21 | Libbey Smith | 12th | – | 1 | 1 | – | – |
| 10 | Ally Tucker | 12th | – | – | – | – | 14.25 |
| 15 | Claire Workinger | 12th | 2 | – | 4 | – | – |
| 14 | Kristen Young | 10th | 1 | 1 | 3 | – | – |
Sacred Heart Game
Sacred Heart over SOHS 3-2
Like last year, the two highest ranked teams left in the 2003 KHSAA Girls Soccer tournament had to meet in the Section 2 game to advance to the final four. South Oldham (#2) and Sacred Heart (3#) met at South Oldham High School for what proved to be a sequel to last years contest between these same two powerhouses. And like last year, by virtue of their 3-2 shootout victory over the Lady Dragons, the Valkyries of Sacred Heart move on in the tournament bringing South’s 2003 soccer season to an end.
The Lady Dragons won the regular season match between these two squads 4-2, but knew the Valkyries were “the team to beat” as far as their tournament aspirations were concerned. SHA had something to prove after losing in the state final last year on a penalty kick and wanting to avenge this year’s regular season loss to SOHS. The two teams started the game pretty even, each getting a scoring opportunity in the first 10 minutes as Ally Tucker grabbed a header attempt by SHA at 34:01 and South threatened with a Stephanie Hay corner kick at 32:35. However, after the first 10 minutes, Sacred Heart became the aggressor keeping the Lady Dragons on their heels.
Sacred Heart dominated the field of play the last 30 minutes of the first half getting a long shot on goal at 28:50 & a soft header shot at 27:00. They took the ball deep on the right side at 23:46 only to be turned back by a great defensive play by Libbey Smith. Ally Tucker saved a direct shot on goal from 15 yds at 18:28 and another at 17:15. She made a super deflection when SHA attacked from the right side with a strong shot at 15:35 and got another save when she corralled a long shot from midfield. South Oldham couldn’t generate a real threat until 10:09 left in the first half when Claire Workinger shot but missed wide left. Then with 9:16 left a Valkyrie dribbled the ball a good 25 yards from wide left to the middle and nailed a roller into the left side of the goal putting SOHS down 0-1. The Lady Dragons had a couple of chances to get even on free kicks, the first by Stephanie Hay from 30 yds that sailed high and another from 20 yds on the right by Hay that was tipped by Amanda Moore but missed. At halftime it was SHA 1, SOHS 0.
Although SHA threatened first with a free kick that sailed high & right with 36:00 in the second half, it was apparent that South Oldham had regrouped at the break and they generated some good offensive threats in the second half. With just over 33 minutes remaining Kristen Young came in and immediately made her presence known by taking a pass & breaking free on the right side getting a good shot that just missed high. With 32:01 left Kari Clark got a shot on goal that was eventually deflected out for a corner kick. With 31:20 left, Stephanie Hay arched the corner kick towards Amanda Moore whose shot was deflected but Clark was there to score off the rebound to tie the game at 1-1. Clark got another opportunity at 25:52 when Hay made a great feed to her but couldn’t get enough foot on it to get past the goalie. South threatened again with a free kick at 17:05 that was long and rolled out and 45 seconds later Young and Clark both raced after a long pass but were just beat out by the SHA goalie. Sacred Heart, re-energized after giving up the goal, broke free just 10 yds out on the right with a sharp shot on goal at the 15:38 mark upon which Ally Tucker made another great save. They got an identical shot with just under 10 minutes that sailed high and had a free kick attempt headed clear by SOHS with 8:35 remaining. Regulation play would end as Tucker collected a sharp roller with 45 seconds left securing a 1-1 tie sending the game into overtime.
In the first 10 minute overtime, Sacred Heart pressured early getting a corner kick that was deflected out at 8:00 and a good shot on goal soon thereafter that was saved by Tucker. But it was an often used weapon throughout this season that made the difference in this period when with 6:20 left, Stephanie Hay lofted a free kick to Amanda Moore who headed it in for a 2-1 Lady Dragon lead. In the second overtime period, South threatened first when Hay kicked a rocket towards the goal that was bobbled by the SHA goalie but finally stopped. However the game was tied when the Valkyries engineered a nice advance making a crisp pass from midfield through to the left side then shot it back in the right of the goal for a 2-2 tie. The period ended with Tucker collecting a long looper by SHA sending the match into sudden death overtime.
Sacred Heart threatened first in sudden death with a long 35yd shot at 3:55 stopped by Tucker. The period would end with the Lady Dragons getting several threats in the last minute with Stephanie Hay getting two corner kicks at 0:45 and 0:20 that were both deflected out and another shot on goal as time ran out. In the second sudden death period the Valkyries threatened twice; first at 3:40 getting two shots back to back, both saved by Tucker, and 29 seconds later getting another shot on goal that missed wide left. The Lady Dragon’s offense couldn’t create any good opportunities but the defense was strong and time ran out with the teams still tied at 2-2 and headed for a shootout.
In the shootout, the Lady Dragons shot first as Stephanie Hay nailed her attempt, but SHA tied it up 1-1 after their initial shot. Kari Clark finished her shot, but Sacred Heart answered to make it 2-2. South’s next attempt was blocked and things looked bleak, but Ally Tucker rose to the occasion and made a save on her opponents shot to keep the shootout tied at 2-2. However, it was not to be, as South Oldham had their next two attempts blocked and SHA scored theirs, not needing their last attempt to win the shootout 3-2 and the game 3-2.
It was a tough loss for the team and a repeat of the disappointment in last year’s shootout, but adversity builds character in quality individuals and I don’t know of a more “QUALITY” group of players on any team in any sport. Coach Tucker, his staff, and the 2003 edition of the Lady Dragon Soccer team have nothing to hang their heads about, and when the hurt is over, I’m sure will be proud of how they represented themselves and their High School all season long.
WE ARE PROUD OF YOU!