March 25, 2016

"If you're going to take anything away from these two ties is that both nights we were down and both nights we decided we wanted to have heart and passion after that happened," Dement said. "You see the result were we're able to battle back."

By Chris Pobst ~ Standard Democrat
Sikeston's Claudea Kuykendall heads the ball against Perryville in the Noon Optimist Tournament Friday evening in Cape Girardeau, Mo. (David Jenkins/Standard Democrat)
Sikeston's Claudea Kuykendall heads the ball against Perryville in the Noon Optimist Tournament Friday evening in Cape Girardeau, Mo. (David Jenkins/Standard Democrat)

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- A tie isn't the optimal result, but the way the Sikeston girls soccer team finished its last two games was a welcoming sign for coach Gabe Dement.

For the second-straight game and for the second-straight day, Sikeston fought back to tie the game in the second half but couldn't come up with a win during the Noon Optimist Tournament at Cape Central High School.

Sikeston tied Perryville 2-2 on Friday after doing the same against Cape Central the day before. The tournament is points-based and ties are worth three. After Friday, Sikeston was sitting with 10 points which put them in a three-way tie for second along with Marion, Ill., and Poplar Bluff. Jackson leads with 19 points and will take on Sikeston on Saturday at 10 a.m.

"If you're going to take anything away from these two ties is that both nights we were down and both nights we decided we wanted to have heart and passion after that happened," Dement said. "You see the result were we're able to battle back."

Sikeston's Ashley Ensor and Perryville's Kirsten Stief go after a ball in the Noon Optimist Tournament Friday evening in Cape Girardeau, Mo. (David Jenkins/Standard Democrat)
Sikeston's Ashley Ensor and Perryville's Kirsten Stief go after a ball in the Noon Optimist Tournament Friday evening in Cape Girardeau, Mo. (David Jenkins/Standard Democrat)
Sikeston's Ashley Ensor and Perryville's Kirsten Stief go after a ball in the Noon Optimist Tournament Friday evening in Cape Girardeau, Mo. (David Jenkins/Standard Democrat)
Sikeston's Ashley Ensor and Perryville's Kirsten Stief go after a ball in the Noon Optimist Tournament Friday evening in Cape Girardeau, Mo. (David Jenkins/Standard Democrat)

Claudea Kuykendall scored both of Sikeston's goals and her last was in dramatic fashion. The senior midfielder picked up a loose ball after sophomore Mackenzie Yant kept a bouncing ball alive. Kuykendall buried the tying goal with 4:16 remaining. Yant was credited with the assist.

"Mack kept the ball alive and I shot it," Kuykendall said. "If she wouldn't have kept it alive, it wouldn't have went in."

Sikeston (0-1-2) fell behind 1-0 and then 2-1 when Perryville freshman Kirstin Jannin put the Bulldogs behind the eight ball.

Her first goal was in the 10th minute when she sneaked in a left-footer through a jumbled mess in front of Sikeston's net. Sydney Spears was given the assist.

Jannin struck again with 8:40 remaining when she picked up a rebound after an initial stop by Sikeston keeper Madeline Witt. Brooke Hogard had the assist.

"She's a solid player and we knew she'd help control the mid-field," Perryville coach Jerry Fulton said.

Sikeston's sense of urgency heightened after Jannin's second goal. With just eight minutes to play, they furiously attacked the net until Kuykendall saved a loss.

"The way we worked the last five minutes of our last two games is how we should work all 80 minutes," Kuykendall said.

Both of Sikeston's goals were sparked by the play of one of their own freshman, Emma Jones.

Sikeston's Emma Jones dribbles the ball against Perryville in the Noon Optimist Tournament Friday evening in Cape Girardeau, Mo. (David Jenkins/Standard Democrat)
Sikeston's Emma Jones dribbles the ball against Perryville in the Noon Optimist Tournament Friday evening in Cape Girardeau, Mo. (David Jenkins/Standard Democrat)
Sikeston's Emma Jones dribbles the ball against Perryville in the Noon Optimist Tournament Friday evening in Cape Girardeau, Mo. (David Jenkins/Standard Democrat)
Sikeston's Emma Jones dribbles the ball against Perryville in the Noon Optimist Tournament Friday evening in Cape Girardeau, Mo. (David Jenkins/Standard Democrat)

Jones, who played midfield, played a near perfect corner kick on Kuykendall's first goal and beat her defender down the sideline to set up Sikeston's second scoring chance.

Jone's low-lining corner kick played right to Kuykendall, who pushed the ball in goal with her chest.

"I just ran through it," Kuykendall said. "It was an awesome corner. Couldn't have been any better."

"I want (Jones) taking corners so I can have my dangerous scorers in the box," Dement added. "She's getting more and more consistent putting a quality ball in. Claudea just came flying through and wanted it more than the other girls."

Those opportunities were set up by Perryville's decision to keep Sikeston's Torrie Helms and Larysa McClellon, who are Sikeston's 1-2 scoring punch, under wraps. They accomplished that, but that left players like Jones and Kuykendall free.

"We knew Torrie was their scorer and it's been that way for a couple years," Fulton said. "We were watching her. I wish our girls would have watched (Jones) a little harder. We were letting her get away and make plays happen. I thought we controlled the upper girls but allowed some other things around them to happen."

Perryville (1-1-1), who starts six freshman, out-shot Sikeston 12-11. Eight of those were on goal for the Pirates. Sikeston had seven. Witt had six saves for the Bulldog while Perryville keeper Camryn Baer had five.

"We're very young and we're still learning," Fulton said. "We're just trying to get our game-legs underneath us."

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