Consol girls beat Lake Highlands in soccer playoffs

WACO -- A&M Consolidated's girls soccer team is going to the regional quarterfinals for the first time in seven years thanks to a full-service defense.

The Lady Tigers posted their second consecutive playoff shutout and got a goal from former defender Courtney Rogers to beat Lake Highlands 1-0 in the area round of the Class 5A Region II playoffs at Waco ISD Stadium on Friday afternoon.

Consol (19-5-2) advanced to the third round of the state playoffs for the first time since 2004. The Lady Tigers will play Garland Sachse in the regional quarterfinals Tuesday at Waco ISD Stadium at a time to be determined. Sachse beat Tyler Lee 1-0 on Friday night to advance.

Lake Highlands, which eliminated Consol 4-0 in the area round two years ago, finished at 15-5-1.

Freshman Ashlynn Ford led a complete defensive effort by the Lady Tigers, who posted their 19th shutout of the season. Consol has won 18 of those games and seen another end in a scoreless tie.

Consol did not allow Lady Wildcats forward Brinkley Field, who came into the match with 16 goals, to put a shot on goal that was dangerous.

"Our defense is very, very strong," Rogers said. "We have a lot of people competing for those positions, and no matter who is back there we know that we can stop whoever we're playing."

Rogers provided all the scoring Consol would need late in the first half. Katie Berlund sent a long corner kick across the mouth of the goal into a cluster of players and the ball rolled back toward the middle, where Rogers pounced at close range and slid it past the sprawling keeper with 7:01 left before intermission.

It was the first varsity goal for Rogers, a junior who recently was moved from defender to the position Consol coaches call stopper, essentially a center defensive midfielder.

"I've gone up on corners quite a few times, but usually we score off headers," Rogers said. "For some reason the ball just came down and somebody knocked it straight to my feet. I saw the open net so I took it.

"When it was in the back of the net I was like 'wait, did that really happen?' I almost had a panic attack. I was so freaked out. I was really excited."

Consol coach Stoney Pryor said moving Rogers up has given his team another shooting threat and strengthened the defense.

There were plenty of defensive standouts against the Lady Wildcats. Consol keeper Christina Salas made four saves, only one that could be considered difficult.

The lanky Ford teamed with defenders Blake Martin and Morgan Leigh, along with a midfielder sparked by Mycah Miller, Kalli Krivdo, Berlund and Rogers, to prevent the Lady Wildcats from turning their excellent ball skills into scoring opportunities.

"Our defense has been very strong all season," Ford said. "I knew that our defense could hold them off, but it's still kind of nerve-racking knowing that you're only one goal up."

Pryor said another key to the shutout was the offensive runs by speedy forward Avery Burns. Although Burns did not find the net, her threats kept Lake Highlands from moving forward with impunity.

The Wildcats managed just two shots on goal in the second half, coming closest to scoring with 3:27 left on a looping header from a pack of players that Salas grabbed with her back at the goal line.

Ford left the match with 8:30 left after she got a bloody nose in a mid-air collision with Field. The freshman returned to play at the 2:37 mark. Lake Highlands had one decent chance in the closing seconds. Kelsey Munoz made a good run to the edge of the penalty area, but sent a long shot 4 or 5 feet over the crossbar.