SYLACAUGA, Ala. – The Sylacauga varsity girls’ soccer team secured a commanding 4-1 victory over the Brewbaker Tech Lady Rams on Monday night, April 29, propelling them into the next round of the AHSAA Class 5A playoffs.
Goals from Mia Dennis, Bailey Malone, Isabella Kirkland, and Natalie Perez led the way for the Lady Aggies.
Dennis, playing as a left winger, initiated the scoring with a volleyed shot from inside the 18-yard box on an assisted throw-in by Kirkland. That would be the lone goal scored before halftime with the Aggies heading into the locker room just ahead of the visiting Lady Rams.
Malone, a seventh grader, extended the lead with a well-timed header off a corner kick from center back G.G. Childress.
Though Brewbaker Tech managed to narrow the margin with a free kick goal by Ella Duffee, Kirkland swiftly responded with a right-footed curling effort, maintaining Sylacauga’s advantage.
Perez, playing in her second year of varsity soccer as an eighth grader, would seal the victory with a successful penalty kick in the closing stages.
Despite a valiant effort after the conclusion of the girls’ contest, the varsity boys’ team fell short against Brewbaker Tech, ending their season with a narrow 0-1 defeat.
Looking ahead, the Lady Aggies will face off against a familiar foe in area rivals Marbury on Thursday night, May 2, at 6:00 p.m., aiming to secure a first-time ever berth in the Final Four in Huntsville.
Sylacauga and Marbury are quite familiar with each other as the two split in this year’s regular season matchups.
Marbury won the first encounter, 2-1, at home, while Sylacauga returned the favor, 3-2, at their house. In last season’s playoffs, at this exact same point (Round 2, or the Elite Eight), Marbury defeated Sylacauga, 3-0.
