FOLEY, Ala. – Little Rock's 2021 season came to a heartbreaking end Wednesday afternoon in the Sun Belt quarterfinals, conceding a goal to South Alabama in the final minutes to force overtime, then falling 3-1 in penalty kicks following double overtime. The Trojans conclude the season with a 7-7-6 overall mark.
"We knew against a team like South Alabama, we would have to be disciplined and not get rattled, and then take advantage of our opportunities when they came," said head coach
Mark Foster. "It played out just we envisioned it would, and we converted when we had the chance. Down the stretch, I thought we had it wrapped up, but that is sports. Sometimes things happen, and I just felt for the girls."
Facing a second-seeded South Alabama team known for its aggressive offensive attack, Little Rock goalkeeper
Saskia Wagner gave the Trojans a chance all afternoon, making a career-high 16 saves. For the game the Jaguars outshot the Trojans 26-6, including a 16-3 shots on goal advantage, but were unable to find the back of the net against Wagner and the Trojan defense.
Looking for its opportunity to take the lead, Little Rock found it in the 78th minute when a header pass from
Julia Edholm at the top of the box was set perfectly to
Jana Heinen, who beat the South Alabama goalkeeper to give the Trojans the 1-0 lead.
South Alabama upped the intensity over the next 10 minutes and had a handful of opportunities, all of which were thwarted by Wagner and the Trojan defense. But in the 88th minute, with the Jaguars applying pressure and attempting a cross in the box, the Little Rock defense attempted to clear the crossing attempt, but it deflected into the upper right hand corner of the goal for an own goal, tying the match at 1-1.
Little Rock held off more South Alabama attacks in both overtime periods, including three clutch saves from Wagner in the second overtime stanza, setting up another match that would be decided by penalty kick. Unfortunately, this one would not go in the Trojans' favor as the Jaguars connected on three of their first four attempts while Little Rock got only one, allowing South Alabama to advance to the semifinals.
"Sports can be cruel, and it is unpredictable," Foster said. "We were able to make shots and hold off Louisiana Monday, but tonight the tables turned and we were the ones that couldn't convert. It's a shame it had to end in that manner, but that is the nature of a conference tournament."
While the loss was hard to stomach afterwards, Foster again chose to focus on the positives of the season, expressing his gratitude for his seniors and the legacy they set.
"I thought today summed up how this season went – one that was hard fought, and also one where this team showed a lot of poise, courage and never gave up," said Foster. "I'm especially thankful for our seniors and the mark they made on this program. They helped continue to establish a culture of what Little Rock soccer is and their legacy will be felt for quite some time."
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