For the third year in a row, the Miami Trace girls soccer team has won a Sectional tournament game.
On a warm, windy Tuesday afternoon and evening, Miami Trace hosted the squad from Circleville High School in a Division II match-up.
The teams played the season-opener back on Aug. 20 with Miami Trace posting a 3-1 victory at Circleville.
This game was much closer and went back and forth. Either team could just as easily have won the game as the other.
However, on this day, Miami Trace held on for a 4-3 victory.
The Lady Panthers (9-6-2) will play for a Sectional championship at Unioto Saturday at 11 a.m. Unioto pummelled Sheridan Tuesday, 18-0.
“It was definitely a battle back and forth all night,” Miami Trace head coach Caitlin Francis said. “The play was pretty even tonight.
“Our girls had the heart and the intensity right at the end,” Francis said. “They definitely dug deep to get that last goal and pull out the win. They kept their focus.
“(Circleville) put us out of the tournament last year, so it was nice to come back strong this year,” Francis said.
Circleville took the early lead with a goal at the 33:12 mark of the first half.
Miami Trace put its first goal on the board when Magarah Bloom scored (unassisted) at the 10:54 mark.
The game was tied, 1-1 at the halftime break.
With 35:38 to play in the game, Circleville took a 2-1 lead.
Bloom tied the match, converting a penalty kick with 23:58 remaining.
With 10:44 to play, Miami Trace took its first lead of the game as Emily Powell scored with the assist from Bloom.
Then it was Circleville’s turn to attempt a penalty kick and that was successful with 7:17 remaining, setting the score at 3-3.
Bloom fed Powell again with 3:01 to play to give Miami Trace a 4-3 lead. The Lady Panthers held on from there to take the win.
Aubrey Schwartz had 11 saves for Miami Trace.
Miami Trace had 12 shots to 13 for the Lady Tigers.
In other Sectional soccer action Tuesday, Chillicothe defeated Washington, 16-0 and Hillsboro beat McClain, 5-3. Hillsboro will play at Chillicothe for a Sectional championship Saturday morning.
Fairfield Union beat Logan Elm, 4-1 and Waverly defeated Jackson, 2-1.
