Platte County senior Addison Sloan (#2) runs to midfield to celebrate with Marissa Orellana (#14), Brooklynne Jenni (#21) and Lily Kytasaari (#10) after clinching the postseason win over Smithville in PKs on May 13.
SMITHVILLE – It took all 80 minutes of regulation, two 15-minute overtime periods and penalty kicks to decide who would move on to the Class 3 District 8 Girls’ Soccer Semifinals.
Platte County (9-10) and Smithville (13-4-1) were in a rainy postseason battle that lasted nearly two and a half hours in entirety at Smithville High School on May 13. There was some déjà vu tying back to 2019 when these rivals met up in the first round of districts and the Lady Warriors won 2-1 in PKs although the Lady Pirates were the last one standing this time, 3-1.
“Throughout the season, the girls have been showing that they don’t quit no matter what the game is, and we showed that tonight,” Platte County girls’ soccer coach Ashlyn Brantley said. “We got down, but we kept our heads up. In the past, it’s been a mental barrier with Smithville, and I think we broke through that and found out that we can play with them.”
Platte County junior goalkeeper Finley Kaser was crucial on the defensive side in the opening round of the Class 2 District 8 Tournament.
Dating back to 2022, Platte County lost five straight games to Smithville – including a 3-1 loss earlier his year after leading 1-0 – and was on the verge of going home early in the first round of districts. In the 76th minute, the Lady Pirates trailed 1-0 and Lily Kytasaari found herself in a one-on-one situation with the Lady Warrior goalkeeper and snuck it into the back of the net to force overtime.
“It was a great ball in, and Lily (Kytasaari) timed the run right and saw that the keeper was out and took advantage. That’s what we’ve been asking them to do; just get your head up, see what’s in front of you and available to you and take advantage of those moments against good teams because you don’t get many of them,” Brantley said.
Throughout the two overtime periods, Smithville was the aggressor with several shots. Platte County’s only real scoring chance was in the first overtime period when Marissa Orellana set up a corner kick and Carissa Bacon had a shot that sailed over the goal.
Marissa Orellana sets up a corner kick in the first overtime against Smithville.
The game went into PKs and Smithville had the first shot, knocking it down, and Kytasaari tied it with a make of her own. After a Lady Warrior miss to the left, Orellana gave the Lady Pirates the advantage with a goal.
Finley Kaser had back-to-back saves to give Addison Sloan the chance to convert the game-winner and the senior delivered with a score to the back right of the net. Brooklynne Jenni was the only Lady Pirate who missed her PK and they walked away with the overtime win to advance.
“We practice those specifically for moments like this – and this isn’t the first time playing Smithville in districts with PKs – so we practice those and hope for the best. The pressure is on the keeper and our keeper came up with two big saves,” Brantley said.
Platte County senior Addison Sloan had the game-winning goal in PKs on May 13.
Smithville was aggressive in the first half, having six of its eight shots be on goal in that timeframe and went up 1-0 in the 18th minute. Peyton Wohlford took a pass from Zoe Yim and snuck it past Kaser for Smithville’s only score in the first 110 minutes of play.
“Our backline was organized towards the end; they (Smithville) were putting the pressure on us and throughout the game they had their opportunities, but we stay composed and stayed confident. It helps when you have a confident keeper in the back with Finley (Kaser) and then Alex Beeman, another senior who stepped it up today and was playing phenomenal,” Brantley said.
Platte County is set to take on Kearney (9-10) in the district semifinals at Pembroke High School on May 15 at 5 p.m. The Lady Pirates lost both regular season matchups, 4-2 in PKs on March 20 and 2-0 on April 19.