Sikeston takes down Mules 2-1 after penalty kicks

POPLAR BLUFF -- The Sikeston Bulldogs played spoiler Monday night.

On Poplar Bluff's Senior Night and in front of a large crowd at Whiteley Park, the Bulldogs came from behind to tie the game in the second half.

After two scoreless overtime periods, Sikeston won on penalty kicks 4-2 to defeat the Mules 2-1.

Poplar Bluff (9-11-1) is the top-seed at next week's MSHSAA Class 3, District 1 tournament while Sikeston (11-10-1) are the No. 3 seed.

"It's a district opponent and you're going to have fight hard," Sikeston coach Gabe Dement said. "It's going to be a battle. Every time you play Poplar Bluff, you know you're going to get their best shot and they are going to battle with you."

Sikeston scored on four of its five penalty kicks in just its second shootout of the season.

"Earlier in the year we had a shootout with Notre Dame in the Notre Dame Tournament in the first round game," Dement said. "We did horrible on that. I think we made two PKs out of our five we shot."

Sikeston senior Audie Hay (3) kicks a ball away from Poplar Bluff seniors Javier Rivera, left, and Jesus Zavala (4) in the first half Monday night in Poplar Bluff. (Rob Tate, SEMO News Service)

Sikeston senior Audie Hay (3) kicks a ball away from Poplar Bluff seniors Javier Rivera, left, and Jesus Zavala (4) in the first half Monday night in Poplar Bluff. (Rob Tate, SEMO News Service)

Coincidently, it was something the Bulldogs worked on 24 hours earlier.

"Last night, we had a Sunday night practice," Dement said. "And we worked on PKs for about 20 minutes. I don't know if that helped or not. But you can never simulate the pressure out here."

Senior Layton Jones, who nearly shot in the game-winner just seconds before regulation expired, put one in the first round.

Poplar Bluff senior Jonathan Hardin responded to make it 1-1.

Each team missed in the second round before Connor Meredith scored in the third round. The Mules tied it up on a goal by sophomore Alexis Reyes.

Sikeston senior Hunter Taylor scored in the fourth round and sophomore goalkeeper Max Ault made a save on the Mules' attempt that round.

Sikeston junior Andrew Pearson ended it in the fifth round.

"(Poplar Bluff's) keeper (Jose Reyes) is a stud," Dement said. "I'm very happy with the win."

Poplar Bluff opened up scoring in the first half as sophomore Adam Vincent sent a rocket from about 35-to-40 yards out past Ault 12 minutes in.

That lead held until Meredith tied it with 32 minutes left in the second half. Meredith took a feed from Taylor and the ball was deflected at the top of the box on its way in past Reyes.

"Sikeston's a great team," Mules coach Steve Edwards said. "We're going to battle with them every time we play them. They are going to battle with us and that's just how that competition is."

Poplar Bluff had many chances late in the second half.

With less than 20 minutes to play, Ault made a handful of saves, including two from Poplar Bluff sophomore Jeffry Hardin and Alexis Reyes. Senior Jose Ventura shot a ball off the cross bar from 40 yards away with 12 minutes to play.

Ault made 15 saves on the night.

"He's just a sophomore," Dement said of Ault. "He made some great saves. He kept us in the game. There was a few chances that I thought Bluff had it. I thought it was going in the goal and the next thing you know, Max makes a big save."

Said Edwards, "I know that second half, we put it to them. Their goalkeeper came up with some big saves. It was a great soccer match."

Poplar Bluff won the previous match at Sikeston, 2-1 on Sept. 18.

The teams could potentially meet again the district title game at Farmington High School. The Mules play Cape Central in the semifinals Tuesday while the Bulldogs play No. 2 Farmington.