Lady Wildcats fall to Central on penalty kicks
Oak Ridge High School came just short of winning the 2023 District 3-AAA girls soccer championship Thursday night.
The second-seeded Lady Bobcats and top-seeded Knox Central couldn’t settle things in 80 minutes of regulation play and 20 minutes of extra time.
The two sides played to a 1-1 tie, sending the match to a penalty kicks shootout.
Central then claimed the title with a 3-2 victory in the shootout at Dan Y. Boring Stadium in Fountain City.
The game was tied at 0-0 until the Lady Wildcats took a 1-0 lead with 13 minutes remaining in the second half.
That came when Lilah Kim headed Aniya Fisher’s corner kick past Lady Bobcats’ goalkeeper Ava Fortner and into the back of the net.
Central scored the equalizer with 13 seconds remaining in regulation as Paige Branum tallied off an assist from Edie Wilds.
The Lady Wildcats played in the Region 2-AAA Tournament against Bearden in West Knoxville Tuesday, but results were not available at press time.
The Lady Bulldogs are two-time defending Class AAA state champions.
They haven’t lost since 2021 and are one of the nation’s top teams in the national United Soccer Coaches Poll.