It was a great game to watch and be a part of as the West Plains Lady Zizzers squared off with the Bolivar Lady Liberators on Monday Night in Willard. The weather was great except for a little wind. The teams battled hard in the first half with Bolivar getting the best scoring chance on a header in the box that Jamie Brassfield snagged to rob Jordan Halbrook of a goal. The game would be scoreless at the half.
Bolivar had the momentum in the second half and turned it into a goal in the 44th minute. An errant West Plains pass to the middle of the field was picked up by a Bolivar player who found Jonna Welch(?) breaking toward goal. Welch’s shot found the back of the net for a 1-0 lead. The Lady Zizzers didn’t let up. In the 55th minute, Mollie Plocher picked up a loose ball in the middle of the Lady Zizzer’s offensive half. Plocher dribbled to her left a fired a shot from 20 yards out. The high shot went off the Bolivar Keeper’s hands and across the goalline to tie the game at 1-1. Both teams kept the intensity up and battled back and forth. In the 68th minute of play, Michelle esterle took a pass and worked her way around a couple of defenders before firing a shot over the Bolivar Keeper from 15 yards away. 2-1 Lady Zizzers. Bolivar wouldn’t quit. Bolivar broke in again and hit a high shot that Jamie Brassfield pushed away off the crossbar. The rebound was cleared out by the Lady Zizzer defense to keep the score 2-1. Then in the 79th minute, Bolivar came at the goal one more time. Brassfield made the initial save, but Lindsy Archer was there to put in the rebound and tie the game 2-2. That’s how regulation would end.
In Overtime, both teams continued to fight hard. The first 15 minute overtime period expired with neither team finding the net. The second overtime looked like much of the same. The teams created chances, but couldn’t put it away. Just 5 minutes from going to a Penalty Kick Shootout, West Plains was whistled for a foul about 40 yards from goal. The resulting free kick was sent into the box where Jonna Welch ran onto it and knocked in the game winner in the 105th minute. Bolivar advances to the District Final with a 3-2 win. Bolivar will face Catholic who defeated Willard 8-0.
The loss drops the Lady Zizzer’s record to 7-16-0. The girls have nothing to hang their heads about. We did the things we wanted to do. We played hard and left everything on the field. We put ourselves in a postion to win the game. We had our chances. It’s tough to lose a game like that knowing you are so close. But it is also good to go out playing well. We got a great effort from all of the girls. The game brings an end to the careers of three Seniors who will be missed: Jamie Brassfield, Michelle Esterle, and Audi Morrison. Great Job Ladies! For the rest of the girls it gives them something to think about for next year. Hopefully we can work hard in the offseason and build off of that. Last night was a great game. Both teams played their hearts out. It’s unfortunate that somebody had to lose, but that is sports.
