Lee Women Fall To Mississippi College In Gulf South Championship
Saturday, April 3, 2021
The No. 2 Lee women's soccer team saw a successful spring season come to a disappointing end on Saturday afternoon falling to the No. 9 Mississippi College Choctaws, 3-0 in the Gulf South Conference Spring Championship Series Final.
A sluggish first half doomed the Lady Flames as they conceded two goals in the first 26 minutes. Mississippi College jumped on the board on a goal by Emily McNair in the ninth minute. Erin Hederman set up the score. The Choctaws would take the all-important two goal advantage in the 27th minute thanks to an unassisted goal by Lindsey Stephenson.
At the end of the first 45 it was all Choctaws as they held a 10-0 advantage in shots.
The Lady Flames would bounce back with a spirited second half effort, outshooting the Choctaws, 8-5 but failed to find the back of the net. Mallory Hayden led the offensive effort with four shots and placed two on goal while Ruth Edrington added three.
Sara Maleski kept the clean sheet for Choctaws with three saves. Lee keeper Jackie Burns allowed three goals and recorded five saves.
The Lady Flames earned a corner with just four minutes left in the match but Maleski punched it away to set up a counter-attack that resulted in the third and final goal from Avery Hederman. Beatrice Currie set up the score.
"The best team won today and full credit to Mississippi College they deserved to win and we congratulate them. I'm at a loss to say what happened in the first half. I haven't seen us play like that in several years and did some things that we haven't done all season," admitted head coach Chris Hennessey. "I'm proud of what we've accomplished this spring but unfortunately in the match that mattered most we just didn't put it all together."
The Lady Flames end the springs season at 8-1-2 while Mississippi College finishes a perfect 8-0.