Tuesday night could not have gotten off to a worse start for the Chuckey-Doak soccer team, but the Lady Black Knights never stopped attacking and rallied to capture a 2-1 win over University High.
“We never seemed to get into the flow of the game, it was ugly at times, but we’ll take a win,” Chuckey-Doak coach Anna Ricker said. “No matter what year it is I feel like we have a good battle with University High, and you know its important to get a district win, so we’ll be happy with it.”
Both teams went into the contest looking for a District 1-A win as they try to position themselves in the postseason standings. Tuesday’s win is Chuckey-Doak’s fourth in a row and improves its record in district play to 3-0. Right now, Chuckey-Doak sits on top of the league standings with Pigeon Forge, both with unblemished records. University High falls to 1-2.
Tuesday’s contest began with the Lady Bucs charging right at their goal on the opening whistle. The first shot attempt of the night got sent away, but the ball lingered in the box long enough for Delaney Leu to find an open look on the frame. She fired from 10 yards and 40 seconds into the contest she gave University High a 1-0 lead.
“I don’t know if it was jitters or we just weren’t ready to play, but that is something we have to work on,” Ricker said. “Maybe they just want to give me more gray hair by spotting them a goal. But the way they fought back showed the grit and determination of these girls.”
From there Chuckey-Doak buckled down and controlled the attack for the rest of the first half, but it took 10 missed shots before the breakthrough goal arrived.
In the 13th minute Tavyn Southerland sent a free kick just over the cross bar. Then in the 14th minute Hailey Williamson, Layla Fox and Addy Bradley made a challenging run into the box, but Bradley’s shot was turned away.
Chuckey-Doak got a handful more shots from the edge of the box, but in the 34th minute the Lady Knights found the right touch.
Southerland launched a corner kick into the box from the right side and Fox came charging through the defense before rising up and striking the ball into the back of the net with her head for a goal that evened the score at 1-1.
“Layla has been so consistent for us this year, putting in goals in when we needed them,” Ricker said. “She’s been a workhorse for us, and she is really playing like a senior.”
Chuckey-Doak took the lead in the 37th minute on another set piece. This time Williamson let a corner kick fly from the left side. The ball dropped into the box at the far post and Fox punched it home for a 2-1 lead.
“We work on those set pieces everyday in practice, and it’s good to see what we are working on practice actually come together in a game,” Ricker said. “Those were different plays that we scored on, and that’s huge to see different runs working.”
The second half was mostly played between the two 18-yard boxes, but neither keeper faced too much of a challenge before time ran out on the Lady Buccaneers’ comeback attempt.
