With 32 goals now for the season, District 5-A/AA most valuable player Emma Rogers is a serious focal point for Boyd-Buchanan soccer opponents.
In its attempt to seriously limit Rogers' opportunities, Arts & Sciences lost Emily Hauke too often, and the junior had three goals and two assists as the Lady Buccaneers won 6-2 in the district tournament final.
Boyd-Buchanan will host District 6 runner-up East Ridge on Tuesday while CSAS travels to 6-A/AA champion Hixson in region semifinals.
Withstanding immense offensive pressure, the Lady Patriots held Boyd-Buchanan scoreless for the first 28 minutes.
"I thought we came out and played well. We kept the pressure on and we had a lot of shots. I told my assistants it was going to come," Boyd-Buchanan coach Todd Ledbetter said. "Their keeper (Clara Alsobrooks) was making fantastic saves - some very good saves - and I was just trying to emphasize keep going, keep our game plan."
Hauke did that, ending the draw on a hooking direct kick from about 20 yards. She then scored on an unassisted breakaway that propelled the Lady Bucs to their 2-0 halftime advantage.
"Emily's free kick to break the deadlock gave us some needed relief, although I thought we were moving the ball well," Ledbetter said. "Tonight was a game where we were very efficient."
A two-goal lead is often enough for Boyd-Buchanan because of its stiff defense, but CSAS halved the margin less than 90 seconds into the second half on a kick from Sophie Albarakat, assisted by Cydnee Stafford.
That score seemed to reignite the Lady Bucs.
With her first goal of the season less than a minute later, Tate Gardenhire extended the lead to 3-1, and Hauke's third goal at the 34:52 mark boosted the lead to 4-1.
"I told Tate that Emily's goal was the prettiest but (Tate's) was the most important. That third goal shifted the momentum back to us," Ledbetter said.
Rogers then shook free of pesky defenders to finish off a skirmish in the box after Hauke's direct kick and added her second goal with a header in the midst of numerous defenders off Hauke's corner kick.
"Boyd plays a very good controlled game, and we just weren't as controlled tonight," said Lady Patriots coach Davis Poss, who already had shifted to his team's region semifinal next week. "This field is much bigger than ours - more length (by 16 yards) than width - and I don't know that we ever adjusted."
Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765. Follow him at Twitter.com/wardgossett.