District 5-A/AA TournamentGRACE ACADEMY 2, BOYD-BUCHANAN 1 (OT)Halftime score: Boyd-Buchanan, 1-0. Goals: Kelsey Hall, Liz Mouw (GA); Allana Barnes (BB). Assists: Morgan Shull (BB). Shots on goal: 9-9. Saves: Abbey Bosco 8 (GA); Anna Beasley 6 (BB). Records: Grace 10-6-1; Boyd-Buchanan 12-5.McMINN CENTRAL 6, SILVERDALE BAPTIST 1Halftime score: 3-0. Goals: Alex Hay 3, Nikita Raper, Morgan Johnson, Ashton Robinson (MC); Sloane Woodard (SB). Assists: Katelyn Carlson (SB). Shots: McMinn Central, 19-2. Saves: Carlson 5, Ashlee Chambers 2 (SB); Taylor Young 1 (MC). Records: McMinn Central 9-6-2; Silverdale 9-9-1.
Liz Mouw's goal in the second overtime Tuesday evening pressed Grace Academy past Boyd-Buchanan, 2-1, and into the District 5-A/AA soccer tournament final.
The Lady Golden Eagles (10-6-1) will face McMinn Central, a 6-1 victor over Silverdale Baptist, in Thursday's championship game at Central.
"This is the game we trained for," Grace coach Gretchen Hammel said. "We prepared for Boyd and we knew how to attack them. This is the most gratifying win of my career -- hands down."
Hammel stressed perseverance to her players once overtime began.
"I told them that the team with the most composure would win this match," she said. "We kept our mind and our cool and did what we needed to do."
Late in the second half, what Grace needed to do was score. The Lady Golden Eagles trailed 1-0 after Allana Barnes' breakaway goal in the 39th minute, but Kelsey Hall was able to tie the match with a goal off a bad clear with eight minutes to go in regulation.
"Just getting past Boyd-Buchanan is such an amazing feeling," Hall said. "We knew we could do it, but we also knew there was a 50-50 chance on whether or not we could accomplish it. It's the most exciting win I've been a part of, because they are a team we always want to beat."
Boyd-Buchanan game-planned to stop Mouw by shadowing her with Allie McCoskey. The planned worked as the Lady Bucs shut down the freshman and gave sweeper Taylor Green chances to clear the ball. It was her clear to Morgan Shull that led to Barnes' goal in the first half.
"That's just soccer to a tee," Boyd-Buchanan coach Dustin Walker said. "Sometimes things go your way; sometimes they don't. Congratulations to Gretchen -- her team played well.
"I'm just sorry for my seniors, because they're such a great group and I hate it for them. It's rough to end like that."
At Englewood, McMinn Central's Alex Hay scored three goals and Ashton Robinson, Morgan Johnson and Nikita Raper added the others against Silverdale.
Sloane Woodard scored for the Lady Seahawks on an assist from Katelyn Carlson.