Lady Knights advance to state championship

By By Robby Atkinson / staff writer
Feb. 4, 2004
COLLINSVILLE The West Lauderdale Lady Knights are a set to play in the Class 1A-2A-3A State Championship soccer game in only its second year of existence.
With only one senior and one junior in the starting lineup, West Lauderdale defeated Corinth 3-1 at home Tuesday afternoon to claim the North State Championship.
"We knew coming into the game that they were going to be a very physical team," said West Lauderdale head coach Bud Brown. "I am very proud of the effort from this group of girls and it feels great to be playing for a state championship."
West Lauderdale will make the trip to Clinton on Saturday for a 1 p.m. showdown with Our Lady's Academy, a 4-1 winner over Madison-St. Joseph on Tuesday, for the Class 1A-2A-3A State Championship.
Corinth scored the first goal of the game with 18:03 left in the first half to take a 1-0 lead over the Lady Knights. Emily Stockton connected with Ruth Stanley on a corner kick to give the Lady Warriors the one-goal advantage.
The Lady Warriors almost took a 2-0 lead with 15:06 left in the first, but West Lauderdale keeper Misty Fason came up with a fabulous save. Laura Dalton found Ruth Stanley on a corner kick, but Fason was in perfect position to collect the crucial save for the Lady Knights.
West Lauderdale came right back with 15:22 on the first half clock to collect a tough goal and tie the game at 1-1. Brittany Uhl found a huge break on a bad kick in the middle of the field by Corinth and scored the easy goal to bring the Lady Knights right back into the game.
West Lauderdale took its first lead of the day just before the conclusion of the first half on a goal from senior Leslie Gaddis.
"We got a great scouting report on this team and they played just like we expected," added Brown. "This will be a big weekend for our girls and this is very special for each member of this team."
The Lady Knights got the icing of the cake with 12:22 left in the second half on another goal to push the score to 3-1. Eighth grader Kylie Rowell scored the final goal of the day on a long kick from about 20 yards on the left side of the goal to give West Lauderdale all the offense it would need to take the 3-1 win over the Lady Warriors.
The Lady Knights held Corinth to only three shots on goal in the second half and seven for the game.