Lady Highlanders soar past Oak Ridge

SHENANDOAH, Texas - The Woodlands Lady Highlander varsity soccer team defeated the Oak Ridge Lady War Eagles 5-0 at Woodforest Bank Stadium on Friday night, showing persistence and patience on the ball to lead them to victory.

The cross-town rivals met up once before in district play this season, with the Lady Highlanders winning that game as well, defeating the Lady War Eagles 6-1. Both teams are headed to the post-season playoffs, with the Lady Highlanders (10-0) as the first-seed at the moment and the Lady War Eagles (4-4-1) the third-seed.

Lady Highlanders dynamic duo of Stephanie Evans and Kylie Dodson worked together to score three goals for the Woodlands, with Evans assisting all three of Dodson’s goals. These goals all came off of set plays for the Lady Highlanders, in which Evans restarted the game with a free kick or corner kick, and Dodson positioned herself to get behind Evans’ kick and score. Only one of these goals came in the first half, and the other two in the second.

The Woodlands entered half time up only 1-0, as the Oak Ridge defense and keeper Nikki Testerman put up a great effort to stop the Lady Highlander attack. Oak Ridge continued these efforts into the second half, but like these two teams’ last match up, the Lady Highlanders came out with great determination and composure in the second half that eventually paid off.

The final two goals of the game came in the last 13 minutes of the second half. Lady Highlander Sabrina Marx assisted a goal by Sidney Runeberg in the 27th minute of the second half, quickly followed by a goal from Jazzy Richards and assist by Kelly Barbalias in the 34th-minute, bringing the Lady Highlanders to a 5-0 victory against area rival Oak Ridge.

The Lady War Eagles will have a bye this week, and will resume district play on March 20, against Summer Creek before heading into postseason play.

The Lady Highlanders next game will be Friday, March 13 at Summer Creek, as they have just two games left in the district season before post season play will begin.