DAHLONEGA -- The historical meanings with each new win no longer apply for the Lumpkin County girls soccer team.
Now, it’s all about the possibilities of what lie ahead.
The Lady Indians dominated Lakeview-Ft. Oglethorpe from start to finish in a 5-0 victory Friday night in the quarterfinals of the Class AAA playoffs.
Yet while Lumpkin County coach Don Brock is plenty excited about his team advancing farther than any other Lady Indians squad, he's far from shocked. In fact, he’s felt, since mid-season, that this campaign had "special" written all over it.
“We’re elated that we’ve gotten this far. No other team has,” Brock said. “But I felt after the Gainesville match and then Dawson County [3-1 and 2-1 victories] that this team may have a real shot (at the state title). Right now we’re only focused on trying to win the title. We’ll celebrate the history afterwards.”
Until this season, no Lady Indians team had advanced past the second round. The books now will have to be rewritten for a second time in a week.
It has also been a tremendous two weeks for Region 7-AAA. The Lady Indians, who were region champs, were one of two girls teams advancing to the quarterfinals. Three boys team from 7-AAA made the Elite 8. (NOTE: The Lumpkin girls were the only area squad to advance in Friday's girls quarterfinal action, as Dawson County, Buford, Chestatee and Union County all fell. See below for a full list of scores and a round-up of soccer playoff action.)
"Our region is very good and I think you're seeing that," Brock said. "We were playoff-tested all season."
Junior Alexis Satterfield and freshmen Holly Foster and Morgan Fagan were a dominating trio for the Lady Indians (17-0-1). Satterfield scored four goals -- giving her 31 on the season -- and added an assist while Foster had one goal and two assists for Lumpkin County. Fagan did not register a point but it wasn’t for a lack of trying. Fagan had five early shots, hitting the upright once and watching three others sail just wide in the opening 20 minutes.
“Alexis is a relentless scorer and all three of them just kept the pressure on the entire match,” Brock said. “They never cease to amaze me. They always seem to step up when we need them.”
Lumpkin came out strong with four solid scoring chances, including two corners, in first five minutes but could not convert into goals.
The Lady Indian’s best early chance came with 16:54 when Britt Payne spearheaded a 2-on-1 breakaway but her shot was snagged LFO’s Lindsay Dunham to keep the match scoreless.
One minute later Lumpkin County generated two more point-blank shots that were deflected away by the Lady Warriors defense. A minute after that Fagan stole an LFO pass and dribbled through the defense to get a five-yard blast but her shot bounced off the right upright.
The Lady Indians continued to press the attack with three of their six first half corners over the next eight minutes but the Lady Warriors were able to keep it scoreless. Then Lumpkin County exploded with two goals in 36 seconds and three over the final 6:00 to take control.
Satterfield opened the scoring with a nice run and then a 20-yard blast past Dunham for a 1-0 with 6:00 left. The Lady Indians stole the ensuing kickoff pass and Satterfield set up Foster with a nice pass for a 2-0 lead 36 seconds later.
Foster and Satterfield would strike again just minutes later when Satterfield headed in a cross from Foster on the Lady Indian’s sixth corner of the half with 2:07 left for a 3-0 lead. Satterfield got the hat trick early in the second half heading in another Foster cross off a corner with 36:32 left in the match for a 4-0 lead.
LFO had its best chances over the next four minutes but Lumpkin keeper Ashlyn Atnip was able stop two point-blank shots to keep the shutout intact. Later, LFO produced a long run down the left side with a beautiful cross but Atnip was able to make a diving stop with 17:50 left.
If it wasn’t already in doubt, Satterfield sealed it with her fourth consecutive goal with 13:55 left knifing close in and beating Dunham low on her left for a 5-0 Lady Indians’ lead.
Now, Brock said they will turn their attention to Blessed Trinity in the semifinals on Tuesday. The Lady Indians will play host to the match, where they are a perfect 12-0 this season.
“It doesn’t really matter who we play because we know they will be excellent and it will take our best match of the season,” Brock said. “But I know one thing. If these girls play to the ability they have shown in the playoffs I don’t feel like anyone can beat them.”
STATE SOCCER QUARTERFINALS
FRIDAY'S RESULTS:
GIRLS
Class AAAA
Woodward Academy 2, Chestatee 0
St. Pius 4, Buford 1
Class AAA
Lumpkin County 5, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe 0
Westminster 5, Dawson County 0
Class AA
Lovett 5, Union County 0
REMAINING SCHEDULE:
BOYS, SATURDAY Class AAAAAA
Habersham Central at Duluth
Class AAAA
Cross Keys at Johnson, 1 p.m.
Class AAA
Coahulla Creek at West Hall, 4 p.m.
East Hall at Calhoun, 6 p.m.
Dawson County at Decatur, 2 p.m.
Class AA
Pace Academy at Riverside Military, 1 p.m.
STATE SOCCER SEMIFINAL MATCH-UPS:
GIRLS, Tuesday
Class AAA
Lumpkin County vs. Blessed Trinity
