ABBY DEVERS makes a diving save during Woodford’s 1-0 win over Lexington Christian Academy Aug. 12 during the Gary Terry Classic. The Lady Jackets took home first place in the tournament. (Photo by Bill Caine)
The Lady Jacket soccer team won the Gary Terry Classic in a 1-0 win over Lexington Christian Academy Saturday, Aug. 12 at Community Stadium. The win caps off a 2-0-1 record to start the season, thanks to some great defense and timely scoring. Woodford’s defensive performance is a continuation of last season, where they stifled opponents regularly.
Woodford had the first two scoring chances of the game, with Sophie Paul and Adaline Dorsey firing a pair of shots that the LCA keeper gathered. WCHS goalkeeper Abby Devers made a terrific save and sent the ball back into play, where Woodford made another charge at the LCA goal, only to find the game tied at halftime, 0-0.
Ten minutes into the second half, Paul broke the tie with a terrific goal as she broke away from the defense and beat the keeper, giving Woodford a 1-0 lead. Abigail Spencer assisted Paul’s goal for her third assist of the season.
Woodford maintained their momentum, aiming to extend their advantage. Madison Henson’s penalty kick presented a prime opportunity, but an unfortunate ricochet off the keeper denied the team a larger lead. Undeterred, the Jackets pressed forward, launching two additional shots that ultimately fell short against LCA’s steadfast defense.
In the decisive final moments of the game, Woodford’s defense demonstrated its mettle, thwarting LCA’s offensive attempts during the closing five minutes.
After the game, Coach Brandon Cummons said he was happy with the team’s intensity in the second half, despite the heat on the field.
“We told the girls that we had to overcome the heat and find a way to get this done,” said Cummons. “The girls responded well to that message. We hadn’t played LCA in five years and weren’t sure what to expect, but we played well and got the result we wanted. Devers has been solid so far this season. She’s helped keep us in a couple of games. She’s becoming more comfortable with the ball at her feet.”
Devers, with two clean sheets already this season, said she was happy that her team got the win and was quick to credit the Lady Jackets’ defense playing in front of her.
“The back line does most of the work, and I try and talk to them to make sure we are in the right position,” said Devers. “Our defense was great again tonight, and I am proud of the team. It’s been an exciting start to the year, and I’m looking forward to seeing what we can achieve as a team.”
Paul credited the halftime discussions for the team’s success in the second half. Especially dealing with the heat and high humidity on the field.
“There was an energy shift in the second half,” said Paul. “The girls responded to our discussions at halftime, and we made the proper adjustments to score the goal. The biggest obstacle today was the heat. It wiped us all out, so we continued to talk and figure a way to connect our passes to get the quality shots we needed to win the game.”
The Lady Jackets were impressive in a 4-0 shutout of Franklin County Wednesday, Aug. 9, at Community Stadium in the second game of the Gary Terry Classic. Mallory Mefford scored two goals, while Savannah Moffett and Sophie Paul each found the back of the net. Abigail Spencer had two assists, and Adaline Dorsey added an assist. Devers recorded her first shutout of the season with a clean sheet.