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The Morgan City High School girls soccer team fell to Lutcher High School 1-0 in Division III first-round playoff action in Lutcher Thursday. Despite the loss, Morgan City freshman goalie Brynn Stephens, above during earlier season action against E.D. White, recorded multiple saves to keep the game close. (Submitted Photo/Courtesy of Mico Aloisio)

Lutcher edges MCHS following late goal

Time and again, players from No. 16 seed Lutcher High School fired shots at the Morgan City High School net during Thursday’s Division III girls soccer first-round game.
And time and again, Morgan City freshman Brynn Stephens was up to the task, stopping every one of them.
However, late in the game, with Lutcher having overwhelmingly dominated possession throughout the contest, the odds finally caught up with No. 17 seed Morgan City.
Lutcher’s Shealee Schexnayder fired a shot from 20-plus yards in the middle of the field that landed in the top left corner of the Morgan City net at about the beginning of the 34th minute as Lutcher defeated Morgan City 1-0.
“It was a perfect shot,” Morgan City Coach Trevor Patterson said. “Like I told them (Morgan City), if they would have hit all the shots they had, it could have been a lot worse. Like I said … their placement is not good, but Lutcher did well. Congratulations to them.”
Despite the great shot, Patterson said fatigue on his team’s part factored in.
“Like I was telling the girls, the difference in the last 10 minutes was because Lutcher didn’t give up and Lutcher wasn’t tired,” he said. “The goal that they got was because we were just standing still, exhausted. Our bench is not as deep, but even still, they didn’t really sub that much, but it had a lot to do with fitness and the quality of the players.”
Defensively, Stephens’ saves at times came when it began to mist and potentially, the ball could have gotten slippery. Among her impressive stops was one in the 67th minute when she jumped and knocked down a potential shot into the goal over her head before securing the ball.
“Tremendous freshman,” Patterson said of Stephens. “I wish she wasn’t involved with the volleyball and softball, because she would be very beneficial to the team going forward, and she could have a good career in it, but hey, high school playing time, you want to enjoy all sports, so hopefully she’ll come back next year and do just as well.”
Morgan City’s offensive opportunities to score were slim. Morgan City threatened about 16 minutes into the game, but Lutcher’s goalie came out and poked the ball away to thwart the opportunity.
Later in the first half, Morgan City got the ball to the middle of the field in front the net off a throw in and a few Morgan City passes, but the Lady Tigers could not take advantage.
Morgan City fired a shot in the 30th minute, but it was saved by Lutcher.
In the second half, Morgan City had a chance around the 56th minute, but Lutcher’s goalie got to the ball first, while a few minutes later, Morgan City had a corner kick that landed in front of the Lutcher goal but again couldn’t capitalize.
Morgan City finished its season with a 6-14-2 mark, while Lutcher improves to 8-13-3. Lutcher will continue postseason play when it faces another district foe, top seed Vandebilt Catholic, next week. Vandebilt had a first-round bye.

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