The Pillow Academy girls soccer team moved one step closer to its fifth state championship game in six years on Tuesday night. And in doing so, the squad got sweet revenge for a stunning quarterfinal defeat from a year ago.
Playing before a large home crowd at Chazzy Moor Field, the Lady Mustangs defeated Starkville Academy, 7-0, to advance to the semifinals Thursday against Lamar. The win helped the squad avenge a 1-0 upset loss last year that ousted Pillow from the playoffs in shocking fashion.
"Our girls played like they wanted to win a state championship tonight," first-year head coach Mary Clare Brock said. "They knew going into tonight that the Cinderella story stopped tonight for Starkville at the 6 o'clock game start time."
Pillow opened the scoring barely two minutes into the contest when Caroline Brock cleaned up a loose ball in the box with a left-footed finish. Sara Presley Howard was later knocked down in the box, and scored on a penalty kick to give Pillow a 2-0 lead. Howard tapped in a moon shot pass from sister Elise Howard to give Pillow a 3-0 advantage right before the halftime break.
Brock scored a second goal 13 minutes into the second half when she outhustled and overpowered the Starkville defender and goalie. Howard finished off a hat trick with a beautiful header off of a cross by sister Avery Howard four minutes later.
Madison Barlow scored a left-footed laser shot to give Pillow a 6-0 lead. Then Elise Howard scored as time expired, tapping in a great cross from Georgia Caroline Self to give Pillow a 7-0 final victory.
"We decided to truly focus on the big picture tonight," Brock said. "And that's the gold ring that comes with a state championship.”
Pillow finished the contest outshooting Starkville 15-1. Pillow also held a 6-0 advantage over Starkville on corner kicks.
The Lady Mustangs will now host rival Lamar School of Meridian in the Academy 4A playoffs Thursday night. Lamar defeated Bayou Academy 2-1 in overtime in Meridian on Tuesday to set up the showdown with Pillow.
"Our sights are set on Lamar for Thursday," Sara Presley Howard said. "They are a very aggressive and competitive team. But so are we."
The two soccer powerhouses have combined to win four of the last five state championships in Academy 4A soccer. Lamar holds a 3-1 advantage in those playoff games, with all three wins coming in state title games.
Lamar is led by ninth grade dynamo Lydia Monsour, who comes into the contest leading the squad with 17 goals. Also leading the way for Lamar will be senior midfielder Lydia Hutcherson, who along with senior goalkeeper Bailey Brent has been involved with all four previous playoff clashes against Pillow. Emma Grace Johnson is another key player for Lamar but was ejected for two yellow cards on Tuesday, and her availability for Thursday is in limbo.
Lamar's top player, Division I prospect Emma Kate Uithoven, will be missing the contest after she suffered a recent torn ACL, which ended her six year varsity career.
Game time is tentatively set for 5 p.m. at Pillow, the final home contest for fifth-year Pillow starters Caroline Brock, Mia Cole, Madeline Kelly and Julia Love Lyon.
