When the bracket came out for the 9th Region girls soccer tournament, a district champion knew they were going to have to face Conner, one of the top 15 teams in the state.
Notre Dame was the one to pull the Conner pill, setting up a top 15 showdown on Monday in Park Hills.
The Pandas came in as a top five team in the state and continued with their late season surge with a 3-0 victory. Notre Dame is now on a seven-game unbeaten streak.
“Conner was the last team I wanted to draw,” Pandas coach Brian Woeste said. “Knew it was going to be a battle and saw the talent they have. Trust me, as a district winner that was not what we were looking for round one, but happy to survive and advance.”
Conner doesn’t bend much, having come in allowing a region low 18 goals in 23 games. The three goals allowed tied a season high. Notre Dame stayed organized and tactical in their attack, putting up 14 shots, nine of them on goal.
After withstanding an early Conner attack, the Pandas broke through in the 21st minute when Jane Schuh found Sadie Yapp in front of the goal on a cross to beat Conner keeper Ally Welch, making it 1-0.
“We got it wide a lot which was really good,” Yapp said. “We expanded a lot and then sent direct balls in, especially the wingers. That was a key aspect in this game.”
The Pandas were fortunate it wasn’t a game-tying goal. In the 9th minute, the Cougars hit the post, crossbar and sent a third shot over the net in one sequence. They pressured hard in the first 15 minutes trying to gain the early advantage.
“It took us a minute to settle down. Honestly the first 10-15 minutes they had us on our heels a little bit,” Woeste said. “We kind of found the balance, started getting the ball on the ground and thought our midfield was key helping us possess the ball. Then our wings gave us so mush space and skill and are a handful when we get it to them.”
The last 20 minutes of the first half belonged to the Pandas. It started with Yapp’s finish, Tori Lenihan scoring a goal in the 38th minute off a rebound to make it 2-0. Lenihan had hit the crossbar a few minutes earlier on a shot and finished this time.
It was a 20-minute stretch that was basically the difference in the game.
“We were able to really keep the ball well, keep it on our feet and stay composed,” Pandas midfielder Kimberly Woeste said.
The Pandas added another off a rebound in the 55th minute, Cameron Kirtley flicking one in after Maya Tully’s free kick from just outside the box made Ally Welch go for a leaping save that hit the crossbar and fell to the feet of Kirtley. It was the second goal off a rebound for the Pandas.
“We have been coaching them to play for the mistake, expect the ball to bobble and sometimes you’re the right person, right place, right time. I give them credit for taking the feedback and making sure they’re in the right position,” Woeste said.
Meanwhile, further proof it wasn’t Conner’s night came in the 62nd minute, a penalty kick drawing the crossbar for the second time on the evening. A shot in the closing minutes in a one-on-one chance also went just wide.
“Just wasn’t meant to be,” Cougars coach Mike Hughes said. “Haven’t missed a PK all season. The 3-0 score wasn’t indicative of the way we played. We had 20 minutes out of the whole 80 that we did not play well.”
It ends Conner’s season at 16-5-3 as they’ll graduate five seniors. Their record shows promise for the future, considering the amount of injuries they had to deal with throughout the year.
“The senior class was outstanding. We had six starters out halfway through the season, the list goes on and they literally stood on the side and cheered more than anyone I’ve ever heard. We started eight underclassmen and I love our leadership. But these moments tonight are tough to swallow. The girls fought so hard,” Hughes said.
Welch made six saves for the Cougars. Conner put up 12 shots, but only three of them were on goal.
Notre Dame’s Joelle Hentz and Hannah Renaker combined for the shutout, Hentz making two saves, Renaker coming in for the last 13 minutes and making a save.
The Pandas move on to a game that’s been much anticipated since the bracket came out, a semifinal date on Wednesday with Highlands. The two have combined to win the last 11 Ninth Region titles, Notre Dame winning six consecutive from 2012-17, Highlands winning four of the last five since 2018, Notre Dame also winning in 2021. The two have met twice this season, Highlands winning the first meeting, 4-1 on Sept. 14. They then played to a 1-1 tie on Sept. 25.
“They’re one of the best teams we’ve played all season. A lot of talent, a lot of skill, a lot of speed. That being said, I’m confident in the team we have. If we play quality soccer like we have leading up to this game and in sections of this game tonight, I fully expect us to win that game,” Woeste said.
Wednesday’s match is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., following the Cooper and Dixie Heights semifinal. Cooper defeated Beechwood 1-0 on Monday, Dixie Heights downing Newport Central Catholic 5-0. Cooper and Dixie Heights meet at 5:30 p.m., also at Notre Dame.