Coming off a tough weekend loss at the All A Classic in Louisville, you could understand if the University Heights Academy Lady Blazers got off to a bit of a slow start Monday evening in their 2nd Region matchup against the Hopkins County Central Lady Storm, who just happen to be one of the more improved teams in the region. But to contend for a region title, you have to find a way to push through those nights when things aren’t always going your way.
After seeing Hopkins County Central tie the match at 2-2 early in the second half, the Lady Blazers put the pedal to the floor and scored four unanswered goals over the final 39 minutes, three of those coming from Kendall Hancock, as University Heights Academy took a 6-2 win over the Lady Storm at Givens Field.
The win was the 11th of the season for University Heights.
The Lady Blazers got on the board first when Gracie Ausenbaugh had her shot deflect off Hopkins County Central keeper Savannah Barnett into the net, putting UHA up 1-0 just six minutes into the match.
It looked is if the Lady Blazers might run off and hide when Audrey Perry sent a shot into the top left corner of the net over Barnett’s outstretched arms at 20:30, pushing the Lady Blazers’ lead out to 2-0.
Even with the two goal lead, Coach Michael Parker was not quite happy with the way his team was executing, and his level of happiness would not improve for a little while in this one.
Less than two minutes after Perry’s goal for UHA, Lilly Armour managed to get around UHA goalie Madison Williams, who had come out to make a play on the ball. Armour pushed the shot into the net to cut the lead to 2-1. That would be the score at the half.
Just 30 seconds into the half, Armour took a pass from McKenzie Tucker and found the net again and the match was all even at 2-2. But the momentum did not stay for a long visit on the Hopkins County Central bench.
Kendall Hancock scored her first goal of the night a little over two minutes later on a shot that deflected off the right post into the left side of the net, putting the Lady Blazers back up 3-2. A Hopkins County Central foul in the box five minutes later sent Audrey Perry to take a penalty shot. Perry, who was battling an injured ankle suffered over the weekend in Louisville, scored the PK to make it 4-2 and all the momentum was now on the UHA side of the field.
Hancock added two goals in the final 10 minutes, including one where it felt like she beat every defender on the field, extending the lead out to the final 6-2 margin.
UHA (11-3-0) was originally scheduled to play St. Mary Saturday for Homecoming. St. Mary has pulled out of the game leaving the Lady Blazers looking for an opponent.
Hopkins County Central (9-5-1) is right back in action Tuesday night, hosting the Hopkinsville Lady Tigers in Mortons Gap.
