The Lebanon girls' soccer team won its sixth straight match and captured the Missouri Class 4 – District 9 tournament title on its home field on Wednesday, defeating Parkview in the championship match, 6-2.
Lebanon (13-13) led 2-0 early in the match thanks to goals by Alyssa Long and Lexi Wapelhorst. Then, after Parkview's Ellie Tate scored with 11:23 remaining in the first half to pull within 2-1, the 'Jackets answered with a pair of goals from Becca Tucker and Alie Becker and closed out the first half with a 4-1 lead.
The Yellowjackets opened the second half scoring with a goal by Wapelhorst to take a 5-1 lead. Tate added a goal with 15:45 remaining for Parkview and Long closed out the scoring for both teams with 2:48 remaining.
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE GAME
The 'Jackets advance to play a Missouri Class 4 sectional game. They will face the winner of Missouri Class 4 – District 11, which will be decided on Thursday when Kickapoo (21-3-2) and Nixa (16-5) play for the championship.
Parkview (10-14-1) was coming off a 1-0 win over Waynesville in the semifinals on Monday at Yellowjacket Stadium, and had posted a 2-1 win over Lebanon in Ozark Conference play on Apr. 5.
"I would say it was a lot different — we played on grass the last time we played them," Parkview head coach Shelby Stewart said. "I don't think much of anything else was different, we just didn't play the game that we wanted to play and the outcome was different because of that.
"I think offensively we were where we needed to be. Two goals is enough to win a soccer game, but six goals against you is not. I think defensively, we were not clicking at all."
The win for Lebanon came on the heels of a 1-0 upset win over top-seeded Central in a heavy down pour on Monday.
"It was nasty (on Monday), but the girls just fought," Jernigan said. "Our girls have a great attitude and they work."
After mostly battling through an up-and-down season, Lebanon capped the season with wins over Dixon, Joplin, West Plains and Hillcrest before entering district play. Jernigan said the stretch of wins helped propel the team to success this week.
"We knew going into those last four games that we had a chance in all of them and that we needed to get on a roll before districts," Jernigan said. "The defense has been phenomenal. We gave up two tonight, but the shutout of Central, they are a great team and they have some good finishers. To get a shutout there is phenomenal.
"The postseason is all about playing your best soccer and we are right now," Jernigan said. "This has been by far the best we have played all year. Our possession was good all night. The first time we played (Parkview) we couldn't finish and we got a couple of goals early tonight and that really set the pace.
"We talked the other night about setting the tone."
