The Class 3A No. 15 Warsaw girls soccer team hung with No. 7 Homestead for 89 minutes Saturday before falling 1-0 in double overtime in a sectional championship match at the Tiger Soccer Complex.
“It was a hard one to lose, but I’m proud of them,” said Warsaw coach Jon Hoover. “I’m proud of the fight they put in for a long game.”
The Lady Spartans (15-3) managed nine shots on goal to Warsaw’s five, but stellar saves by Homestead’s Samantha Castaneda and Warsaw’s Kaylee Patton kept the match scoreless through the 80 minutes of regulation and, seven minutes of the first overtime and until the match’s lone goal with five minutes left in the second extra session.
“(Patton) did a great job keeping us in the game, and kept composed back there,” Hoover said.
The first seven-minute overtime period continued the match as a defensive struggle. Warsaw junior Delaney Taylor’s shot in the 84th minute sailed over the goal, while a Homestead shot on target in the 86th minute was stopped by Patton.
Seven more minutes were put on the clock for a second overtime.
Finally, in the 89th minute of play, Homestead freshman Amelia White broke free left of the goal to kick the ball into the far right corner of Warsaw’s net.
“It just was all worth it after that,” White said. “All the hard work and just making every single run, and just playing my hardest made it all worth it.”
Hoover credited his defense with limiting White, who plays on the U-15 U.S. Girls National Team.
“We played 80 minutes and we shut her down,” he said. “She just slipped through at the right time at the right place. We didn’t get help side fast enough on that, which is tough to do in the (89th minute).”
Warsaw came close to scoring in the 92nd minute.
Taylor’s corner kick was fielded by Abby Steffensmeier, whose shot attempt hit the right post of the goal and was recovered by Castaneda.
The Lady Tigers didn’t stop making a push, but the final two minutes came and went in favor of Homestead.
“It was a challenge today, that’s for sure,” said Homestead coach Rick Link, who won his first sectional as a head coach. “Warsaw gave us a heck of a game.”
Homestead will play Carroll Saturday at 10 a.m. in a Logansports Regional semifinal.
The Lady Tigers finished their season at 12-5-1.
“Credit to the seniors,” Hoover said. “They never backed down, they did such a great job this year. It’s a shame to see them walk off the field losing this way, but I’m completely proud of the entire team and the way the seniors led us.”
