It came down the golden goal and a little luck on the part of the Dodge City High School girls’ soccer team on Monday at Cavanaugh Field.
In the second 10-minute overtime period where the first goal scored wins the game, Dodge City’s Scarlett Real emerged from a loose-ball scramble in front of Great Bend’s net long enough to punch a shot past GBHS goalkeeper Stephanie Lomas for a 3-2 Western Athletic Conference victory.
“It was a really good battle in the midfield,” GBHS head coach Gus Prieto said. “In the last play in overtime, it’s a golden goal. Everybody was trying hard. Everybody worked hard. They were playing 98 minutes, everybody was running. They were lucky right there in the last goal.”
Dodge City got the scoring started late in the first half as Mercedes Sanchez took a pass from Hoy Lim and planted a shot in the far corner of the net.
Brandi Schneider answered before the end of the half for Great Bend.
Christina Hernandez drove a free kick over the Lady Demons defense and Schneider took the ball for a one-on-one with Dodge City goalkeeper Signe Monk. Schneider beat Monk to tie the game at one.
“We’re working really hard with Brandi,” Prieto said. “She’s always played midfield. She’s got to learn different skills. How to finish every single play. How to beat the last defender, but she’s doing a really great job. She’s in good shape. She’s running a lot, but we need a little more time.”
Lim had a chance to give the Lady Demons a lead in the second half with a penalty kick after Great Bend’s Isela Ochoa was called for a foul in the goalie’s box. Lim’s kick went high, leaving the game tied.
Berenice Prieto, who was playing her first game of the season after suffering a knee injury during the first week of practice, gave the Lady Panthers a 2-1 lead with 26:30 remaining.
She took the ball from midfield to the goalie’s box and shot a low roller that went through Monk’s legs to score.
“She’s not 100 percent yet,” Gus Prieto said of his daughter. “She’s one of those players that wants to be right there on the field and fight every time.
“She’s getting better. She’s having extra training, and I think her knee is doing a lot better. I hope she’ll be back to 100 percent in a week or two weeks.”
Lim tied the game at two with a hard shot that glanced off Lomas’ fingers.
Neither team scored again until Real’s goal gave Dodge City the win.
Lomas finished the game with eight saves for Great Bend.
“She’s doing a lot better,” Gus Prieto said of his goalie. “She’s been good with her hands all the time, but she’s been doing better playing a lot better on the ground. She’s getting really aggressive now. She made great saves today for the team.”
Great Bend (1-3-2 overall, 0-2-1 WAC) travels to Hays today.