FRANKLIN
Seymour got a gift in the form of an own goal and added two scores of its own late to pull away and escape Franklin with a 4-1 win in girls soccer on Saturday.
The Owls and host Grizzly Cubs were locked in a 1-1 tie throughout the game’s first 58 minutes when an own goal by Franklin gave Seymour the edge it needed.
Two more goals, both in the game’s last six minutes, sealed the win for the Owls.
“This has been indicative of our season. We just play hard,” Seymour coach Greg Musser said. “Sometimes the touches aren’t there, but I thought for a majority of the game we had the control. We had a few lapses mentally where we gave them some opportunities. But we played hard and battled through the heat which was nice.”
Each team scored a goal in the game’s first seven minutes, a frantic way to start the contest.
Franklin (3-9) stunned Seymour with a goal just two minutes into the match when the Cubs’ Emily Kleinhelter beat goalie Aidan Hiester to the ball, leapt over the keeper, and put the ball into the open net for a 1-0 lead.
Seymour (11-3-1) answered almost immediately when Maddie Roark beat the Franklin defense down the field then placed the ball to the right of the keeper to tie the match at 1-1 in the seventh minute.
Neither team scored for the next 50 minutes as the quickly rising temperatures made it tough on everybody, including the fans.
Play was stopped just before the half when a fan collapsed in the stands due to the heat. The fan eventually walked out of the stands, but he was to be taken away by ambulance for observation.
“It was tough. Our girls are used to playing in the 70-degree weather and this was hot today,” Musser said. “But we’re also kind of used to it by playing on artificial turf. That can get really hot and maybe it gave us an advantage. But these early afternoon games can be tough.”
The game may very well have stayed tied if not for the own goal in the 58th minute. The Owls sent the ball across the Franklin box and Grizzly Cub defender Sarah Sullivan put out her foot in an attempt to intercept it, but instead deflected it into the goal for a 2-1 Seymour lead.
The Owls then added two goals, by Addi Chandler in the 74th minute and by Alyssa Perry in the 76th, for the final margin. Bailey Lewis got the assist on Perry’s goal.
Seymour held an overwhelming 22-6 advantage in shots, but just 10-5 on goal. Each team attempted three corner kicks and were whistled for eight fouls.
Hiester had four saves in goal for Seymour while Alexandria Bedard stopped seven shots for the Grizzlies.
Seymour wraps up the regular season with a pair of Hoosier Hills Conference games. The Owls host Madison on Monday and travel to Columbus East on Thursday.