Wildcats pull off comeback in penalty kicks to get past Shawnee Mission North

Louisburg goalie Macy Lemke goes in for a save Monday against Shawnee Mission North during the Golden Bear Tournament at Turner High School.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Louisburg’s first round game of the Golden Bear Tournament against Shawnee Mission North went from sunny and rosy, to bleak in a matter of minutes.

The Wildcats held a one goal lead, but gave up the tying score with just two minutes left in regulation. The match then went to penalty kicks and Louisburg found itself down 3-1 in a best of five attempts.

“Coming back from a 3-1 deficit in PK’s, the odds on that are relatively small,” Louisburg coach Ben York said.

Louisburg beat the odds as the Wildcats netted their final three penalty kicks and goalie Macy Lemke stopped the final three Bison attempts to leave with a 2-1 victory at Turner High School.

“For the majority of the game we did a really good job,” York said. “The first half we were really on the front foot and had plenty of opportunities in the first 10 minutes. We strayed away from what got us success. With all that, and going against a big school with some talented players, it was good to see the girls come away with a win.

“We faced a little adversity and it was good for the girls to go through that. Although we didn’t win how we wanted to, I think that will helps us later in the season.”

Lemke gave the Wildcats a lift when they needed most. Down 3-1 in penalty kicks, she got a pair of saves that kept her team in it. 

Rowan Yows and Ellery Allen had makes to tie it at 3-all after the first five attempts. Each team brought an extra player out and junior Hailey Sword found the back of the net for Louisburg, while Lemke made a diving stop on a Bison attempt, that hit the post, and preserved the win.

Lemke was busy throughout the match, especially in the second half when she recorded six saves as the Bison dominated possession in the final 20 minutes.

“What is difficult is in the whole time I’ve been coaching, penalty kicks is not something I have encountered but three times,” York said. “We have gone over that a little in practice, but not much. What is difficult for the goalkeeper is you have to guess and have to be confident. I think Macy was waiting to react instead of letting her goalie instincts kick on the first couple shots. When she made that first save, that gave her a lot of confidence in the last three. She made some great saves earlier in the game too.”

From the opening whistle, Louisburg appeared in control of the game and the Wildcats took the lead in the first 10 minutes when a Yows shot from 25 yards out hit the back of the net.

The Wildcats (3-0) took a 1-0 lead at halftime and controlled possession in the first half. It could have been a bigger lead as they took nine shots on goal.

Shawnee Mission North put the pressure on in the second half and had the Wildcat defense on its heels for much of the final 20 minutes. The Bison, which had seven shots on goal, got one to go with two minutes left in regulation when a cross hit off a Wildcat defender and in the back of the net.

All that set up the dramatics in penalty kicks and the Wildcats were able to advance to the tournament semifinals.

“If we managed to hold our composure, we probably don’t have to go through that mess,” York said. “We were pressing toward the end of the game and were chasing a bit. We were a little tired, but that is a correctable thing and that will get better as the season goes along. We need to stay offensive and aggressive and not just sit in. It is something we can get better at.”

The Wildcats will square off against Bonner Springs at 6 p.m. tonight in the semifinals at Turner High School.

Wildcats get road win at Leavenworth

Louisburg saw its lead slip away in the first half of Thursday’s game at Leavenworth, but that didn’t seem to bother the Wildcats much.

The Pioneers scored a goal in the final minutes of the first half to tie the match. In the second half, the Wildcats made sure the game was never in doubt.

Louisburg scored three goals in the final 40 minutes and left with a 4-1 victory over the Pioneers.

Senior Adyson Ross scored the Wildcats’ goal in the first half, and defender Ellery Allen came up on a corner opportunity and was able to find the back of the net to give Louisburg the lead in the second half.

Rowan Yows put the game away as she scored back-to-back goals to end it and gave the Wildcats their first road win of the year.

The Wildcats controlled possession for much of the action and kept the Leavenworth goalie busy as they took 31 shots on goals. Yows took eight of those, while senior Bree Gassman had six.