The Hays High Indian soccer team advanced to the quarterfinal tournament for the first time in program history with a 1-0 penalty kick win over Andover Central. The Indians hosted the regional championship game on a windy Thursday evening that saw no regulation goals nor in any of the four overtimes.
Hays High came close to tallying a goal late in the second half when April Johnson hit the bottom half of the cross bar, the ball caromed straight and then back up when the goalie found the ball.
Andover Central thought they had won game in the first overtime with the wind at the backs playing havoc on the ball. Taylor Herman saved the game on a header along the goal off a Jaguar corner kick. The header went out of bounds setting up Andover Central for another corner kick that found the net, however the official immediately discounted the goal because of a player moving Indian goalie Laura Truman.
Hays had four shots on goal in the second overtime with the wind at their backs with non really threatening the Andover Central Goal keeper.
Neither team got a very good look at the goal in the five minute third and fourth over time periods.
The game finally came down to penalty kicks, and that too had its own drama. Shelby Dinkel shot and scored first for the Indians and then was matched by Andover Central. Rachel Luedders had her shot blocked but the Jaguar goalie was declared to not have started on the goal line resulting in a rekick that Luedder converted. Andover Central again matched the penalty kick goal and then tied the PKs at three after Shannon Shubert nailed her shot. Megan Bird made the fourth kick for Hays High then goalie Laura Truman made a stop to set up sophomore Lacey Pfannenstiel with the game winner.
Hays is now 15-3, further extending their school record.
Post season will continue for Hays High on Tuesday, May 22nd.
Coach Chris Michaelis: