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By Pat Dailey (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Serena Boyce watched the rain fall all day while she was at school Thursday and assumed Kickapoo’s Ozark Conference home showdown with Rolla would be one big soggy mess.
“I was looking out the window and thinking I would be going home a wet puppy tonight,” said Boyce, a Lady Chiefs sophomore forward.
Instead, the rain clouds moved on, the sun peaked out for a bit in the evening and Boyce left Jim Pearson Field at Pottenger Stadium dry and glowing from the thrill of victory following Kickapoo’s 2-1 triumph.
The Lady Chiefs (11-8-1 overall and 8-0 in the OC) assured themselves no worse than a tie for the conference crown and kept Rolla (12-8 and 8-1) from its fourth straight league championship. Kickapoo can win the OC for the first time since 2005 with a win over Glendale next week.
“We’ve stressed the conference more this year than we have the last several years,” coach Phil Hodge said. “We wanted to make these games important, not that we didn’t treat them as important, anyway. But we want to learn from things that happen in these games that we can apply toward a District championship.
“The girls responded, battled and found a way to get it done.”
“I’ve only been playing for two years, but it sounds to me like this is a pretty big deal,” added sophomore midfielder Ellie Miller. “I remember watching the seniors cry after we lost to Rolla last year. It’s nice to finally get a win on them. This is very rewarding.”
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE GAME
Boyce and Miller recorded Kickapoo’s two goals, both in the first half. They admitted good fortune was on their side for both scores, but were proud to point out they allowed themselves to be rewarded by being opportunistic.
Boyce put in a goal a few minutes into the contest from 20 yards out with her left foot. It wasn’t the strongest kick by any means, but the ball rolled past the outstretched fingertips of Rolla keeper Kelly Cates, as she dove, and it kept rolling just ahead of a pair of chasing Lady Bulldogs defenders.
“I was surprised it actually rolled into the goal,” Boyce said. “It was a ‘hold your breath moment.’ I thought someone was going to kick it out. It was an adrenaline rush for me.
“I was hoping to get it in with my left foot. It’s not as strong as my right foot and I knew I wouldn’t have the power on it that I would with my right foot. But you’ve got to take the opportunities when they come.”
An assist from Boyce set up Miller for what proved to be the game-winning goal. Miller lofted an arching kick into the top right corner of the goal with just two minutes remaining in the first half for a 2-0 Lady Chiefs lead.
She admitted her execution wasn’t nearly as pretty as the end result.
“Serena had a good cross (pass) to me and I mainly tried to position myself,” Miller said. “The only reason I scored was because I was positioned right. I didn’t get a fantastic touch on it. It hit my left shin and kind of floated in. I was trying to hit it on the left side of my foot. But it hit my shin and floated in. Luckily, it was placed where the goalie wasn’t.
“We won because we capitalized on our opportunities.”
“Maybe we caught a little break, a little luck,” Hodge said. “But that’s sports and credit our kids for creating a play, making a play and being in the right spots.”
Kickapoo was on the offensive for the great majority of the first half. In contrast, Rolla kept the ball on its side of the field for most of the second half. The Lady Chiefs did not have a shot on goal in the second half.
The Lady Bulldogs broke through with 10 minutes left in the second half on a goal by Carlee McCormick.
Rolla kept pressure on Kickapoo’s defense until the final minute.
With both teams playing exceptional at times in the closing minutes, Hodge felt like he was watching playoff ball.
“You live for those moments,” Hodge said. “I don’t think there was anything cheap or anything rough tonight. It was two teams playing hard. Everyone knew what was at stake. Both teams wanted the conference championship.
“We will not overlook Glendale. But at this time we were both undefeated in the conference, so there was a lot at stake.”
