By Kai Raymer (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
School pride runs deep for Taylor Akers.
Despite a future in Division I softball at hometown Missouri State, Akers didn’t want to forgo her senior season of high school soccer.
“Just coming out and competing in the Brown and Gold, that’s something so important to me,” said Akers, who has played soccer since she was 3 years old. “My heart is set at Kickapoo. I wanted to come out and compete for Kickapoo one more time.”
The Kickapoo Lady Chiefs are certainly glad she made that choice.
Akers had the winning goal in Thursday night’s Southside Showdown against rival Glendale at Pottenger Stadium. Akers scored on a rebound – from her own shot – in the 10th minute and the Lady Chiefs’ defense made the early lead hold up for a 1-0 victory.
The victory improved the surging Lady Chiefs to 12-5-1 overall. Kickapoo has won nine of 11 matches in April after enduring a tough early season schedule.
“Credit to our girls,” said Lady Chiefs coach Phil Hodge. “We’ve had so many games like these this year. We’ve been down 1-0 and come back to win against good teams.”
It was an atypical goal for the speedy Akers. Last fall for Kickapoo’s softball team, she set a state record for stolen bases in a season with 72.
On Thursday night, Akers’ persistence made the difference.
“I wasn’t expecting the ball and then it came to me and I touched it. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, oh my gosh,’” Akers said. “I shot it, and somebody blocked it. I just had that dog mentality. I was not going to let that ball not go in so I kept trying and trying. I guess I got the goal and assist too, right?”
The victory helped Kickapoo avenge last season’s stunning loss to their city rivals. The Lady Chiefs lost in overtime after giving up a two-goal lead with just over two minutes left in regulation.
“Before the game, we talked about how you only get four chances to play Glendale. Our seniors, they got one ripped out as freshmen because of Covid,” Hodge said. “We really had a bitter taste in our mouth from that game last year.”
Akers took the loss especially hard.
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE GAME
“I’ve never cried after a soccer game. I cried after that one,” Akers said. “Just because we were this close, so close, and we dropped it and we knew we shouldn’t have.”
Even with last year’s loss, the annual matchup has gone in Kickapoo’s favor of late. The Lady Chiefs are 6-1 against Glendale dating back to 2016.
Glendale failed to register a goal for just the second time in 13 matches this season.
There were few scoring chances for either side.
Senior defender Vanessa Maturey nearly gave Kickapoo a two-goal lead late in the first half on a ball she played into the box from about 50 yards out. Her wind-aided shot carried and hit the left post.
One of Glendale’s best opportunities came on a corner kick late in the first half, but Kickapoo senior goalkeeper Karli Facklam made the save in traffic.
Facklam guided the Lady Chiefs to their sixth shutout of the season.
“We’ve had experience playing tough teams and having to defend for long stretches of time,” Akers said. “We have a great backline and defense, they’re so good. We have trust in them.”
Kickapoo concludes a busy two-week stretch on Friday night with a home match against Pembroke Hill.
Glendale (10-3 overall) plays Pembroke Hill on Saturday, followed by Ozark Conference games against West Plains, Bolivar and Rolla next week. All three of Glendale’s losses this season have been by one-goal margins.
