Carlton goal lifts Lady Pats over GC
Published 12:34 pm Thursday, August 30, 2018
Photo by Nancy Leedy JAYLEE CARLTON (11) works the ball during the Lady Patriots’ 45th District and home opener with Garrard County. She scored Lincoln’s lone goal in the win.
STANFORD — The Lincoln County Lady Patriot soccer team worked through an intense defensive battle against visiting Garrard County last Thursday before posting a 1-0 win in their home and 45th District opener.
“This was their first home game of the season on this field and we opened it with a district game. It was awesome to get the victory,” Lincoln coach Wendy Estes said. “Obviously, anytime you win it’s great, but being the first home game and a district game it sort of had a double whammy to it.”
“Man-to-man, I think we controlled it. The shots were made on both sides. There were plenty of shots on their net, plenty of shots on our net. The girls just hung tight and Lincoln County just wanted it more.”
Sophomore midfielder Jaylee Carlton scored the only goal of the game to give Lincoln it’s first district “W.” The win put the Lady Patriots at 3-2 overall.
The Lincoln goal ended a defensive standoff that lasted into the second half. Carlton worked the ball into goal to the left of Garrard keeper Vanessa Hume then pounded it into the left corner in the 55th minute of the game.
Estes, the Lady Patriots and their fans breathed a sigh of relief when Carlton scored.
“When you’re at halftime and you have a 0-0 game, whatever sport it is, you’re talking about two pretty evenly-matched teams,” said Estes. “That’s what the girls felt at halftime, ‘How do we break that little edge if we’re dead-even?’ When you’re that evenly skilled, it’s just going to come down to determination. I really feel that the Lady Pats showed it tonight.”
Lincoln and Garrard (2-2-1) were fairly close in shots on goal, with the Lady Pats taking 16 shots and the Lady Lions, 11.
Late in the game, when time was quickly ticking away, Garrard put in some strong shots on Lady Pat goalie Dallis Brown. But they would be denied as Lincoln held on for the win.
“Right at end it was getting close,” Estes said. “At the end of 90 minutes, both teams are starting to drag a little bit. But I was pretty determined and I knew these girls were not going to lose this game tonight. You just have to want it more and I really feel that the Lady Patriots did.”
