After years of being the dominant girls’ soccer team in the First Region for the All A Classic, the Murray Lady Tigers are now looking to make their mark in the Class 2A Championships.
Murray took that step on Monday by scoring four second half goals to beat Hopkins County Central 4-0. They will play crosstown rival Calloway County in Thursday’s sectional championship with a spot in the Class 2A State Tournament on the line.
Ava Flota scored two goals in the first 12 minutes of the second half to break a scoreless tie. Her first goal came off her left foot out front. Her seventh goal of the season also came from out top.
Kendyll English cleaned up in front off a direct kick to knock home her fourth goal of the season for a 3-0 Lady Tiger lead.
Hannah Elmore completed the scoring for Murray with a goal in the game’s final three minutes.
While it took Murray’s offense a while to get going, the Lady Tiger defense was on point throughout the match. They limited the Lady Storm to one shot in the contest and none in the second half.
Murray outshot Hopkins County Central 18-1 with Lady Storm goalie SJ Barnett making 12 saves.
Hopkins County Central had a shot at taking the lead at the end of the first half but a Lady Storm penalty shot went wide right.
Monday was only the third meeting between the schools in the past 18 years with all three ending with shutout wins by Murray.
The Lady Tigers (5-1-1) will play Calloway County in Thursday’s championship match. The Lady Lakers, the defending 2A sectional champions, dispatched Trigg County 5-0 in the first semifinal of the evening.
Murray has won nine straight meetings with their district rival.
Hopkins County Central fell to 3-3-1 after a weekend spent playing in Gatlinburg, Tenn. Monday’s loss was the third straight scoreless match for the Lady Storm offense, who get a week to prepare for cross-county rival Madisonville next Tuesday in Mortons Gap.
