By Kai Raymer (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
From late April through May, it’s easy for spring sports teams to get distracted.
Prom. Finals. Graduation.
Or, in the case of Glendale and Rolla, spring storms that move a Tuesday night game to a rare Wednesday afternoon start.
Amid warm, humid conditions, Glendale defeated Rolla 1-0 in overtime on a golden goal from senior Emma Miller.
The match, which kicked off at 4 p.m., was an endurance check for both sides.
“This was probably our first ‘hot’ game of the season,” said Glendale coach Jeff Rogers. “I kind of told (our players) at halftime, ‘I’m OK with overtime. Let’s see what we’re made of.
“I didn’t want to go two (10-minute) overtimes, though.”
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE GAME
Glendale, now riding a five-game winning streak, improved to 12-6-1 overall and 6-0 in the Ozark Conference.
The Falcons host Camdenton for senior night on Thursday, and play at Waynesville on May 6.
Win those, and it likely sets up a winner-take-all match for the OC title May 8 at home versus Kickapoo.
For seniors like Miller, the stretch run for soccer coincides with a hectic off-the-field schedule.
“It’s mentally exhausting,” Miller said. “You’re thinking, ‘Graduation is coming. I’m almost done. All I have to do is one more test.’ But you have the rest of the season and (how far you make it) depends on how mentally ready and physically ready you are.”
Miller got the game-winner in the 89th minute.
Alexi Martinez play a long ball toward Miller that bounced over the head of Rolla’s centerback.
From there, it was a footrace. Miller won.
She calmly capped off the 1-v-1 opportunity with a finish into the lower right side of the net. Miller now has a team-leading 20 goals on the season.
“It was nice to see our two senior captains finish off the game like that,” Rogers said. “Emma, running on a 1-v-keeper, is pretty under control.”
Said Miller: “I just ran onto it. I was just thinking, ‘I have to make this goal. The game has to end right here.’ I just had to place it in the back of the net.”
The Falcons had similar scoring opportunities during regulation.
“(Rolla) plays a pretty high (back) line, and we kind of had a few that looked like (Miller’s goal) in the first half. We just didn’t put them away,” Rogers said.
Rolla nearly struck first in the 13th minute.
Sophomore Mercedez Carpenter slipped a ball past Glendale’s backline to freshman Abby Turner. Turner’s shot went just wide of the left post on the 1-v-1 opportunity.
In the 52nd minute, Glendale sophomore defender Macie Stephens erased another potential Rolla breakaway.
The Bulldogs, which have just three seniors on the roster, fell to 7-8-3 overall. They host Kickapoo on Thursday night.
