Kaylyn Lynch notched a hat trick and the Hopkinsville girls’ soccer team scored three goals over the final 18 minutes on Saturday to knock off Paducah Tilghman 5-2 at the Stadium of Champions.
The Lady Tigers bounced back from a loss at Lyon County to improve to 2-1 ahead of a trip to Union County on Monday.
Most of the match was played in the center of the field in the first half, but with just over 12 minutes left, Lynch got behind the Tilghman defense on a pass from Grace Cansler and deposited the ball in the far corner for a 1-0 halftime advantage.
The Lady Tigers only needed four and a half minutes to double the lead after the break. Caydon Coats took a pass from Lynch and found the back of the net to seemingly put Hopkinsville in control.
However, just four minutes later, Jill Slaughter got the Blue Tornado on the scoreboard when her shot slipped in over the head of Hoptown goalkeeper Jaleigha McFarland.
Less than two minutes later, Paducah Tilghman was level after McFarland saved Wells Hancock’s shot, and Eliza Esper put away the rebound from close range.
After a mandatory water break, the game resumed with a Paducah Tilghman goal kick that went straight to Lynch at the top of the box. She made no mistake with her shot to the right corner to provide the go-ahead goal.
Despite allowing a pair of second-half goals, the Lady Tigers dominated over the final 40 minutes. The pressure paid off with two goals inside the last ten minutes, beginning with Cansler’s finish off a pass from Coats.
Coats added her second assist of the game with seconds remaining, finding her way around a defender on the right side and putting the ball across the box for Lynch to cap her three-goal performance.
McFarland made nine saves for the Lady Tigers, as did Paducah Tilghman’s Ava Russell.
