The Switzerland County Middle School soccer team captured second place in the Rising Sun Soccer Invitational over the weekend.
The team advanced to the championship game by defeating Rising Sun 1-0. The Pacers had to battle the wind and the onslaught of the Shiner attack during the second half. The defense held tight preserving a 0-0 tie at the end of regulation.
The score was tied again 2-2 at the end of the first shootout with Trenton Ricketts and Alyssa Leap scoring goals.
In the sudden-death overtime Josh Yeary scored the winning goal for the Pacers. The fullback team of Carlie Peacock, Whitney Godsey, Tyler Vestring, Bethany Heffelmire, Dillon Griffith, Trey Taylor, and Nathaniel Christerson combined to push back the Shiner offense.
Goalkeeper Maggie Armstrong had 16 saves in regulation and she was able to shut down the Shiners in the shootout and sudden death to lead her team to victory.
“Our defense came up big for us in the second half. We had the wind in our face the entire half so we weren’t able to advance the ball,” Coach Kyle Weaver said. “Our defense stepped up and played with tremendous courage giving the difficult weather conditions. I am so proud of the entire team.”
In the championship game, the Pacers took on the unbeaten Jac-Cen-Del Eagles. The Eagle offense proved to be a little too much as the Eagles defeated the Pacers 2-0. Alyssa Leap, Trenton Ricketts, and Justin Truitt had shots on goal. Goalkeeper Maggie Armstrong had 15 saves.