In their two September meetings, Chillicothe dominated the matches (5-0 at Warren and 6-1 at McVicker Field).
Now, in late October, it took a kick from the right of the goal by Baylee Stark at 6:01 in overtime to send the Cavs to a 1-0 victory and a spot in Saturday’s District Final.
Stark said it was worth the wait. “I was waiting for the perfect through ball… I saw my Lindsey (Schobelock) backside. So, I figured I’d play it to the back post and it would either go in or she’d be there. I knew I could count on her.”
Stark had a handful of opportunities earlier in regulation, but was unable to find the back of the net.
“That game was crazy.” said the Cavs senior midfielder. “It was a very hard fought game it’s always crazy going into overtime, it’s very nerve wracking. You just have to play your heart out ‘cause it’s golden goal time.”
The game’s first half ended in a scoreless tie. The Cavs had just five shots on goal. The first coming on a corner kick by Kasey Crow two minutes in, but the next didn’t come until 13:46.
It was Warren on the attack with eight attempts and maintaining advantage in time of possession and that didn’t change in the second half.
The Warriors continued to advance the ball behind the Cavs defenders to no avail.
Midway through, the tide turned. Chillicothe had seven consecutive shots on goal. The closest came off the foot of Lindsey Schobelock. Her kick from 25 yards right of the goal slipped through the Warren goal keeper’s grasp, rolling just wide of the right goal post.
With 25 seconds remaining, Warren’s Abigal Ida had a breakaway opportunity, but the kick was saved by Chillicothe’s Kaitlyn Cunningham.
Cavs Coach Zach Breth said Warren proved they came to play.
“Both teams were very patient defenders. They (Warren) had a game plan for us. You could tell they’d sorted out in the first two games, our pattern of play, our style and they came with a way to break that down.”
So the Cavs had to sort things out at halftime.
“The first half, they were the first to ever ball, they were high-pressure in our face and that’s hard to do for 80 minutes. The longer the game went on the more likely I thought we were to get an opportunity.”
In overtime, it continued to be an offensive struggle until Stark‘s kick from the right side.
“She (Stark) gets down in there near the by line, I love the texture she plays on the ball and she just kinda floats it sometimes. That one floated right over the keeper’s head, we talk about missing the keeper and that’s what happened.
Chillicothe will play Unioto for the D2 Southeast District championship at 10:00 Saturday morning at Jackson High School’s Alumni Field. The Shermans beat the Cavs 6-1 two weeks ago.
Unioto defeated Circleville 1-0 (4-2 on penalty kicks) Read more here.
Hear Dan Ramey's interviews with Coach Breth and Baylee Stark.
