GRAY DEYOSports Writer

The Tullahoma Lady Wildcats soccer team went down to Chattanooga and dominated in their first-round matchup of the state tournament. They beat Elizabethton High School by a score of 4-1. With the win, they will play in the state semis tomorrow against Signal Mountain High School.

The Lady Wildcats, although playing on a different field than they had for the last several playoff games, where they had home field advantage, looked no different in the state quarterfinal at Boy Buchanan High School. In the first half, both teams went scoreless for the first 15 or so minutes of  the half, before Tullahoma senior McLayne Bobo made her presence felt. She scored the opening goal of the game at the 21-minute mark, and nearly 10 minutes later, she placed another shot in the back of the net.

Her second goal of the game was generated off the play of Tullahoma’s high-powered defense.

The Lady Wildcats’ defense was shut down in taking away anything Elizabethton had offensively for the majority of the game. Sophomore Addison Vincent was a critical part of this during the match, and she was the one who assisted on Bobo’s second goal–turning good defense into great offense. She intercepted a pass from an opposing Lady Cyclone, and lasered a ball well over fifty yards to Bobo on a direct line. The senior handled the pass well and was able to score maneuvering around the opposing keeper and a defender in the process. These two goals from Bobo gave Tullahoma a 2-0 lead at the end of the first half.

In the second half, the Lady Wildcats surrendered one goal, but they kept their offense cooking. Junior Brindley Duncan scored the third goal of the game. She was outside the penalty box on the left side and drilled a line drive into the top left corner of the goal. The Lady Cyclones’ keeper made a good play on the shot, fully extending, but Duncan’s shot was too well placed to get a hand on. The last goal of the match in the second half and game was scored by senior Avery Sisk. She beat a swarm of defenders off the dribble after receiving a well-placed pass from Bobo. Shen then hit a hard, low shot past the keeper into the left side of the goal.

The Lady Wildcats’ opponent for tomorrow, Signal Mountain, won their opening match against South Gibson High School 2-0. The semifinal game between the Lady Wildcats and Lady Eagles will be at 5:30 p.m. CST.