GOSHEN - Warsaw girls coach Dan Miller called it the unfortunate thing of soccer, that the better team doesn't always win.
Miller said he felt his Lady Tigers dominated play in Saturday night's sectional championship against the host Bethany Christian Lady Bruins.While that may have been the case on the field, on the scoreboard the Bruins won 1-0, advancing them to the regional for the first time since 2005.
"It's the unfortunate thing of soccer, the better team doesn't always win," said Miller, whose team was looking for its first sectional championship since 2003. "Bethany Christian was well-coached and disciplined. I thought we totally controlled the second half, and the majority of the game."
The game's only goal was scored early in the first half by junior Sharisse Yoder.
The score stood in the Lady Bruins' favor, but the Lady Tigers certainly had plenty of opportunities.
"We had plenty of chances, we just weren't able to finish," said Miller. "We played just as hard as we did the first time we played them, we just weren't able to finish this time."
Warsaw hosted and beat Bethany Christian 3-1 on Sept. 29.
"Bethany Christian was more defensive minded this time," said Miller. "I think they stayed back and waited for us to make a mistake. The girls played hard. We could have folded in the second half, but we didn't. They kept playing hard, and we had a chance."
The Lady Tigers had a number of chances late in the game, including one shot that Miller's players thought was a goal, as the Lady Bruins' keeper appeared to be in the goal when she made the stop.
"My players told me it was a goal," said Miller. "From my angle, it was too tough to tell. We had another chance with about 10 seconds left and just didn't finish."
The loss ended Warsaw's season with a record of 11-7-1. At one point in the season, the Lady Tigers were 4-5-1. They won seven of their last nine games and had plenty of chances to win the sectional championship.
"Our goal is to be the ones celebrating next year," said Miller.
