Two regional contenders closed out their regular seasons in a potential postseason preview on Thursday night, as the Marshall County Lady Marshals traveled to take on the McCracken County Lady Mustangs.
The last time the two faced off, a trip to the 2023 First Region final was on the line, with the Lady Mustangs ending Marshall’s season on penalty kicks, 2-1.
With lengthy winning streaks and postseason momentum at stake on Thursday, the Lady Mustangs got the job done again, with a brace from Maddy Ledgerwood powering McCracken to their 16th win of the year, 3-0.
“We talked about it in the locker room, we wanted to come out, play relaxed and just play our style of soccer, and we did,” McCracken County head coach Mike Lane. “We’ve learned as the season’s gone on not to buy into what the other team’s doing, and play the way they do. We can play our style, knock the ball around and take care of the chances we create.”
As expected, the opening minutes of the first was a ‘feeling out’ process for both sides, as the Mustangs and Marshals fought for possession across the midfield. Though McCracken would hold an edge in possession, a handful of stalled attacks would largely keep them out of Marshall’s third, only testing Savannah Dodd a few times over the first ten minutes. However, the hosts would break through, with Katelyn Hader weaving past the Marshall defense on a counterattack, perfectly centering a ball for Ledgerwood to finish from close range, giving the Lady Mustangs a 1-0 edge.
As the half continued, Marshall and McCracken would trade opportunities at either end, with Ledgerwood’s strike remaining the difference between the two teams late into the first. Despite the Lady Mustangs holding the majority of possession, the Lady Marshals would apply some last-minute pressure, keeping McCracken pinned down in their own half with less than two to play. With a cross into the box resulting in a penalty kick, the Lady Marshals were given a prime opportunity to level things up heading into the half. However, Addison Smith would make the stop, springing the Lady Mustangs back up the pitch following the save. After their late counterattack came up empty, the Lady Mustangs would take a 1-0 lead out of the first half.
“That was a big moment for us, and big for Addison,” Lane continued. “To have possessed the ball for most of the half, giving up something like that right at the end would’ve messed with our minds a little bit. But, she made that save, and really kept our heads in it.”
To open the second half, the Lady Mustangs poured forward on the attack, holding possession in Marshall’s half and creating a number of early chances. Dodd would hold firm in goal for the Lady Marshals, turning away any opportunity as Marshall would alleviate the pressure, pushing back towards midfield. Through the middle of the half, control was split, as either side would test the opposing back line, coming up empty-handed each time.
After a free kick from the edge of the 18-yard box was sent over the net by the Lady Marshals, the Lady Mustangs would be back on the attack just past the halfway mark of the second, led again by Ledgerwood. Taking it into Marshall’s half on her own, sophomore striker would create space for herself and fire from range, finding the back of the net to see the Lady Mustangs take a 2-0 lead with 17:32 to play.
McCracken would add some insurance late, as Savannah McDowell would get a head to a corner taken by Makenzie Burgett, putting the Lady Mustangs up 3-0 with seven minutes on the clock. Through the final minutes, McCracken were able to keep the Lady Marshals out of their half, closing out their season with a 3-0 victory.
“A win like this definitely gives the girls confidence, it’s a big match for us just like it was last year, and any time we can beat a team like Marshall County, everybody’s going to be happy with it,” Lane concluded. “The girls have set goals for themselves this year, now it’s up to myself and my staff to make sure they can finish those goals. We can play, and whichever teams we face should know that.”
The Lady Mustangs will begin their run in the postseason this coming Monday, in the First District Championship with a 5:30 p.m. kickoff against Paducah Tilghman.
As for the Lady Marshals, they return to action Tuesday, taking on the winner of Graves County and Mayfield at 5:30 p.m.