Lady ’Cats edge HVA in 3-2 thriller

Oak Ridge High School girls soccer coach Trenna Underwood has watched her team battle injuries and adversity all season. But the Lady Wildcats have persevered, and in their most recent appearance on the pitch, they earned a hard-fought victory.

Oak Ridge notched a narrow 3-2 win over Hardin Valley Academy at home on Tuesday, Aug. 27.

“That was a really big win for us. Hardin Valley is a good team, and they’re always going to be tough,” said Underwood, the Lady Wildcats’ first-year head coach. “They have a good coach, and you know that it’s always going to be a good game when you play them.

“They outshot us, and we’re low on defense due to injuries right now. This was a good game. It was back and forth.

“We scored an early goal off a corner kick, and we were up 2-1, but then they matched us, and it was 2-2 at halftime.”

Edie Weston and Hayven Laurendine found the back of the net for Oak Ridge (3-2) before halftime.

The Lady Wildcats scored the game-winning goal in the second half when Elena Vogt, a defender who saw limited time due to injury, came in and scored.

“Elena is injured,” Underwood said.“She’s normally our starting center back, but I didn’t start her. She came in, did the job, and then I put in another defender.”

The Lady Wildcats hosted Morristown East on Tuesday, but results were not available at press time. Oak Ridge hosts Livingston Academy on Thursday at 6 p.m.