Thursday March 28th, 2024 8:30PM

Playoff soccer: Lady Lions stellar season comes to an end

MACON — Carmen Wagner and Ansley Rochester helped turn Lakeview Academy girls soccer into a Class A playoff stalwart through the years.

But on Tuesday the Lady Lions ran into another program with the pedigree to match, as First Presbyterian Day knocked Lakeview from the second round of the playoffs in a 3-0 finale.

The two teams slugged it out toe-to-toe in a scoreless first half, but the Lady Vikings (20-0) -- and standout Kate Patterson -- proved too much in the second half, scoring three quick goals to pull away from the Lady Lions (14-4).

The athletic and imposing Patterson keyed all three strikes for a program with two state titles (2011 and 12) to its name -- one that has reached at least the third round of state in three straight seasons. Patterson scored the first two on her own and crossed for Karsten Herron for the third.

"I don't even have a player close to six foot, and she looked to be about 6-2," Lakeview coach Nathan Wallace said. "The girls played hard, and I'm proud of them, and that team (First Presbyterian) is very legit."

Wagner, who leaves as Hall County's all-time leading striker with over 100 goals to her credit, and goalkeeper Rochester each closed out their Lady Lions careers with stellar performances, according to Wallace.

"Ansley made some great saves in her last game," Wallace said. "And Carmen played great. She had one shot in the first half that, as soon as she hit it, I was jumping on to the field to celebrate, and somehow their keeper got a hand to it and knocked it away. 

"We've made the Sweet 16 each of the last three years, and Carmen and Ansley were instrumental in that. You can't replace a Carmen -- she's a once-in-a-lifetime type player. But we only lose two seniors, and hopefully they've started a tradition that the girls we have will keep rolling."

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