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Jackson snaps SHS home win streak
Lady Indians score early to defeat Sikeston 3-0 on Thursday evening
SIKESTON -- The Sikeston Lady Bulldogs saw their perfect home record snapped by Jackson, 3-0 on Thursday evening.
Jackson came in as the top team in the SEMO Conference and looked the part from the beginning, scoring just over two minutes in when Alex Sotak sent a long kick, from the top of the box, past Sikeston goalie Asia Liggins, into the corner of the goal.
"Their goals they got were mental mistakes by us," said Sikeston coach Derrick Long. "We left their number 11 open on the top of the box and she hit a shot in the corner. We haven't been doing that all year. We've been blocking those shots out there."
Sotak scored again with eight minutes remaining in the first half, bending a corner kick into the net, giving the Lady Indians a 2-0 advantage at halftime.
"I feel like we didn't make them earn any of their goals," Long said. "The second one, off the corner, she bent it in and nobody even touched it. You hate to see that because you want your team attacking the ball of the corner."
Sikeston came out more aggressive in the second half, getting several chances for goals, however, the Lady Bulldogs were not able to convert. Jackson then put the game out of reach when Kasey Crowden scored with 20 minutes remaining in the contest.
"The first half we started retreating a little bit and got back there in Asia's area and kind of pushed her back where she couldn't come out and be aggressive on the ball and that's not how we want to do it," Long said. "We made some adjustments in the second half and I thought Keyonna (Blissett) and Kristin (King) had some more chances, and a had few breaks and if we put one in there before they score you never know. It just didn't go our way but I liked the effort."
Jackson improves to 14-3 with the win while Sikeston's record drops to 11-7, but Long said he was proud of the Lady Bulldogs' effort, despite the score.
"There's a reason nobody in our conference has beaten this team," Long said. "They're very skilled. They move the ball real well and adjust the ball real well and we knew it was going to be an uphill climb. I'm not upset about the effort because I know the effort was there."
Sikeston will take a few days off before playing their final regular season games next week in preparation of the district tournament which begins on May 15. The Lady Bulldogs will travel to Cape Central on Tuesday.
"When you hit districts you have to have that high intensity for 80 minutes," Long said. "Our district is so even this year, with a lot of good teams in it. Whatever team outworks the other team is going to come out victorious."