Finding a positive angle after a tie can be difficult at times, but both Baylor and Girls Preparatory School have reasons to be happy after their 1-1 soccer draw Tuesday night.
After all, the Bruisers pushed their unbeaten streak against archrival Baylor to six games, and the Lady Red Raiders completed their first undefeated season since 2010 and locked up the No. 1 seed in the Division II-AA East/Middle region tournament.
"I think the best thing about this season is we haven't even talked about the results. We're fixed in on the process. I don't even know if they realize what they just accomplished," Baylor coach Curtis Blair began. "We came in tonight knowing the situation we were in, and we got the ending that we needed to get the No. 1 seed and the bye."
GPS needed a win over Baylor to earn the No. 1 seed for itself, and that showed early in the match with the Bruisers keeping goalkeeper Peyton Randolph and the Lady Red Raiders defenders scrambling with scoring chances and tough shots.
"I don't think we've been outshot this year. It's just the way we play allows us to have a lot of offensive opportunities," GPS coach Patrick Winecoff said. "If you give us the chances we had tonight again any other day, I think we find a way to put a lot more of them in the net."
The Bruisers' aggressive style momentarily backfired in the 23rd minute when Baylor speedster Avery Davis converted a one-on-one breakaway chance to break the scoreless tie.
GPS junior Lane Lawrence helped push the momentum back in her team's direction early in the second half, however, on a penalty kick after a foul on a tackle in the box.
"I practice them all the time," Lawrence said."The moment I hit it, I knew it was going in."
With the top spot in hand, Baylor will have nearly two weeks off before its first postseason match of 2017, while GPS will play Saturday as the region's No. 2 seed.
Contact John Mitchell at sports@timesfreepress.com.