Last Friday, the Starr’s Mill Lady Panthers beat the Whitewater Lady Wildcats in an intense battle that ended with an 8-7 PK shootout in favor of the Lady Panthers.

The first half was extremely unusual for the Panthers, as they struggled to get the ball on their side of the field, only crossing the line twice in the first ten minutes. Despite their offensive struggles, the team defended well. Freshman goalkeeper Zoey Stellman was able to make two key saves to keep the score at 0-0 going into halftime.

“We defended well as a group,” head coach John Bowen said. “[Whitewater] put us under a lot of pressure, but as a unit, we defended very well.”

In the second half, the Lady Panthers gave the Wildcats trouble when junior Meritt Parker made a long pass to freshman Chloe Thompson, who scored at the 10 minute mark in the half. This combined with a few important saves by junior goalkeeper Abby Weaver kept Whitewater at bay. However, with five minutes left in regulation, the Lady Wildcats scored a goal to even the score at 1-1 going into overtime.

“We didn’t stop working until [the match] was over,” freshman Chloe Thompson said. “Everyone talks to each other and helps each other out.”

After two scoreless overtime periods, the match went to a PK shootout. The Lady Panthers missed their first kick. The Wildcats capitalized by making their kick, giving them their first lead of the game. Starr’s Mill tied the score by making their second kick and would tie two more times before Stellman made a crucial save that allowed the Panthers to take the lead with their next kick. The score would alternate between a tie and a one point Starr’s Mill lead until another save by Stellman gave the team another chance to gain the lead. Whitewater went on to miss their tenth and final kick, giving the Panthers their second region victory of the season.

“I kept my composure,” Stellman said. “I didn’t let the stress get to me.”

The girls followed up their win over Whitewater with a 0-0 tie at home against Newnan. The Lady Panthers’ record is now 5-1-3. The boys’ team also defeated the Wildcats with a final score of 2-1, but their game at Newnan was canceled due to field conditions.