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The Thomson High girls’ soccer team, the Lady Dogs, defeated Butler Friday 2-0 in a rough-and-tumble game at Butler Stadium.
The Lady Dogs got on the board early in the first half when a misplay by Butler sent the ball into their own net, scoring an own goal for Thomson and giving them the lead.
Despite aggressive play by both teams, that would be the only goal in the first half, and the score stood at 1-0 at halftime.
That’s where the score stayed for much of the second half as well, until Haley Oubre sent the ball into the net approximately 20 minutes into the half to add to the Thomson lead (without a functioning scoreboard at the Butler High School stadium, it was impossible to record more accurate score times).
“I was feeling really frustrated, and when someone passed me the ball, I remember telling myself ‘I have to get this, I have to get this’,” Oubre said after the game. “And when I saw the ball go in, I just felt really happy.
‘‘But I was frustrated that we hadn’t actually scored a goal ourselves, and I have to learn to stop getting frustrated and just play my game.”
There would be no further scoring in the game, and regulation play ended with the Lady Dogs holding a 2-0 lead.
Thomson played the game without four starting players, with Brea Boutwell, Anna Carrington, and Ivy and Ellen Wallace all having other obligations.
“In the first half Butler really showed that they wanted the ball, and missing four of our starters really hurt us, but in the second half our players really came together and played like they should,” coach Jessica Ruark said following the game.
“I do question some of the calls by the officials, or rather, the lack thereof. I feel like Butler made some dangerous plays that weren’t called, and they should have been. But our girls really stepped up tonight.
“Betty Jones did another great job on defense, and Ashley Coleman came in and really showed our girls what I mean by playing defense and not being afraid of the ball and getting kicks. All the girls did an amazing job. There’s not a single one of them I’m upset with tonight.”
The Lady Dogs faced ARC in an away game Tuesday, and Josey at home on Wednesday. Their next home game is Friday, March 16. Game time is 5:30 p.m.
