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By Kai Raymer
Bigger, faster, stronger.
Lee’s Summit West had the physical and statistical advantages in Tuesday night’s Class 4 girls’ soccer sectional at Nixa High School.
The result was a 4-0 win by the visiting Titans, and an end to Nixa’s streak of four straight state quarterfinal appearances.
“That’s a fantastic team,” Nixa coach Evan Palmer said about Lee’s Summit West. “At all positions, they were faster than us.”
Nixa withstood an onslaught of LSW shots on goal in the first half thanks in large part to the play of freshman goalkeeper Riley McClintock, who tallied at least 10 saves in the opening 40 minutes.
“She played fantastic,” Palmer said. “She kept us in the game.”
The Titans’ persistence finally paid off early in the second half, when junior midfielder Jillian Leetch found open space in the corner of the 18 and lobbed a shot over the head of McClintock and inside the far post.
Moments earlier, Nixa had taken its best shot yet in the match – a clear look from about 25 yards out that carried high.
“I think it kind of woke (LSW) up a little bit,” said Nixa senior Bailey Hunsicker. “They realized, ‘Oh, Nixa’s actually getting on our side of the field.’ I think that gave them a little motivation.”
LSW stretched its lead to 2-0 in the 52nd minute when freshman Taylor Reid got the header on a rebound inside the box. Seconds earlier, McClintock made a great stop on a point-blank LSW shot attempt, but Nixa was unable to clear the ensuing rebound.
The Titans (17-5 overall, No. 7 in Class 4 state coaches’ poll) tacked on two late goals to seal the 4-0 victory.
They’ll host Rock Bridge (17-3 overall, No. 5 in Class 4 state coaches’ poll) in a state quarterfinal game on Saturday. Rock Bridge defeated Kickapoo 2-0 at home on Tuesday.
“We played hard,” Hunsicker said. “We definitely played to the best of our ability. (LSW) is a great team. Their skill and passing, we don’t get to play those teams often.”
Nixa tweaked its lineup for the first half, playing just one forward – senior Alex Johnson – in a defensive-minded formation, similar to the one they used in a 2-0 upset of St. Teresa’s Academy earlier this season.
After LSW unleashed a flurry of shots at the Nixa net in the first half, the Eagles pushed Hunsicker up top alongside Johnson for the second half. But, that also exposed Nixa’s backline to more attacks by an aggressive LSW unit.
In the end, the Titans’ speed and athleticism won out.
“You have to play good individual defense,” Palmer said. “We were getting beat all the time on the dribble or the pass. They’re going to keep getting opportunities when that happens. When you get good balls into the box like that, they’re going to start going in eventually.”
Nixa’s season ends at 16-6-1 overall. The Eagles claimed their fifth straight district championship but again graduate a talented senior class, including the likes of Johnson, Hunsicker, Maycie Palmer and Liz Gimlin.
“We keep losing great classes and we’re still able to find a way to win,” Evan Palmer said. “We’re losing another great class this year. These seniors have meant a lot to this program for winning (districts) four years in a row. They’re a special group.”
Lee’s Summit West 4, Nixa 0
LSW 0-4—4
Nixa 0-0—0
Second half
Lee’s Summit West (43’) – Jillian Leetch
Lee’s Summit West (52’) – Taylor Reid
Lee’s Summit West (66’) – Mia Bates (Kara Privitera assist)
Lee’s Summit West (78’) –Leetch
