If a high school soccer season ends in Lexington, it’s a good year.
The Highlands girls soccer team was able to accomplish that for the second straight season, ultimately coming up short in the KHSAA state semifinals this year in a 2-0 loss to South Oldham on Tuesday night at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School.
The Dragons struck early on a goal from Abigayle Hammons and converted on a penalty kick from goalkeeper Adelle Finerty for the damage.
Highlands struggled to get much offense going in the first half. They had just one shot on goal at the break and were trailing in the possession game.
“We had trouble in the first half, kind of settling in and playing our game, and they kind of took advantage of that,” Highlands coach Kelsey Etherton said.
PHOTOS: Slideshow provided by Charles Bolton
The Bluebirds adjutsed at the half and got some momentum on their side with opportunities coming out of the break, but were unable to put any solid shots on frame in the early going of the half.
Finerty’s penalty kick came in the 55th minute and later made a leaping save on an Ally Lickert shot to punch the ball over the crossbar with five minutes remaining.
“I don’t care how short she is, tall she is, whatever. That is one of the best goalkeepers I have ever seen, much less coached,” Dragons coach Kenny Burke said.
The loss ends Highlands season at 18-7-1, winning their third straight region title and continuing to set the standard for the program.
“So incredibly incredibly proud of this team,” Etherton said. “They’ve overcome so many obstacles. There’s been so many times in this season where you know we’ve lost games and we’ve gone down and we’ve been able to come back and turn it around and come together. To continue for the second year in a row to prove everybody in the state wrong that we are capable of competing with the best because I think sometimes our record doesn’t show that.”
After Highlands’ Saturday 2-1 victory over Russell, they were under the assumption they were set to play Paul Laurence Dunbar in the semifinals. But a mix-up of the bracket initially sent out by the KHSAA had the wrong teams for the semifinal rounds, meaning South Oldham was the new matchup.
“Your initial reaction is always going to be a little bit of frustration because we had spent time prepping for Dunbar,” Etherton said. “But at the end of the day, there are four really good teams left in the state, and we know no matter who we face, it’s going to be challenging, and there’s going to be a lot of hard work that we’re going to have to do, and we’re going to need all the pieces to fall in the right place to to beat one of these teams. And so, yeah, we spent time prepping for Dunbar, but we still had 48 hours to turn around and prep for South Oldham.”
The Dragons had defeated Highlands 4-1 earlier this season.
“I told their coach at the end of that game that was the most lopsided scoreline. They outshot us 16 to six in that game,” Burke said. “Kind of like tonight, soccer is a game of moments. You got an 80 minute game, and it comes down to just one moment here and there, and in that particular game, we capitalized, and that that hurts because we’re tough to score on, and we get two goals on, three goals on, and it’s like, well, it’s time to go home. Today, it was only one nothing for a long time, and the game is still well in doubt. And if they bag one of those goals, and especially off one of the corners where they’re so dangerous, you know you’re right back in the fight.”
They’ll move on to the championship on Saturday to face the Paul Laurence Dunbar-Central Hardin winner at Lexington SC Stadium at 4 p.m.
Highlands will graduate seven from the roster, including the team’s leader in assists, Kristie Deegen, along with Ella Jones, Loralie Manning, Parker Moses, Adalyn Armstrong Cattani, Maddy Lickert and Gabby Simons.
The future still looks promising with leading goal scorer Ally Lickert returning along with keeper Bailee Class and key returning pieces Hope Darnell and Gabby Neufarth.
SOUTH OLDHAM 2, HIGHLANDS 0
SOUTH OLDHAM — 1-1 — 2
HIGHLANDS — 0-0 — 0
Game Stats
Goals: (SO) Hammons (17′), Finerty PK (54′)
Assists: (SO) Roberson (17′)
Shots (on goal): South Oldham 7 (4), Highlands 5 (4)
Saves: South Oldham 4 (Finerty), Highlands 2 (Class)
Corner Kicks: South Oldham 5, Highlands 4
Fouls: South Oldham 8, Highlands 10
Offsides: South Oldham 2, Highlands 1
Records: South Oldham 17-1-2, Highlands 18-7-1
