Soccer: Lady Tigers Headed Back To Title Match

 Special To NWA Media David J. Beach McKenzie Dixon, left, of Bentonville and Morgan Freehling celebrate their victory over Mount St. Mary during Saturday’s semifinal match at Tiger Athletic Complex in Bentonville.
Special To NWA Media David J. Beach McKenzie Dixon, left, of Bentonville and Morgan Freehling celebrate their victory over Mount St. Mary during Saturday’s semifinal match at Tiger Athletic Complex in Bentonville.

BENTONVILLE -- Mount St. Mary girls soccer coach Brian Clark added another description to the list of superlatives for McKenzie Dixon.

"She is a headliner," Clark said. "We played as a team, but they have the headliners."

How They Scored

7A State Girls Tournament

Bentonville 2, Mount St. Mary 1

Mount St. Mary^0^0—^1

Bentonville^1^1^—^2

First Half

Mount — Cochran, 38:12

Bent — Dixon, 12:03

Second Half

Bent — Dixon, 24:56

Dixon scored both goals as Bentonville defeated the Belles 2-1 on Saturday in a semifinal game of the Class 7A State Tournament at the Tiger Athletic Complex.

Dixon scored goals in each half to overcome an early 1-0 deficit.

Bentonville (13-4-1) will defend its state championship against Bryant next Saturday at Razorback Field in Fayetteville. Bryant (23-0-3) advanced with a 2-0 victory over Little Rock Central.

Bentonville will make its eighth consecutive appearance in the finals, where the Lady Tigers have won four state championships, including the last two in a row.

"We're playing the best soccer we've played all year," Bentonville coach Kristina Henry said. "That's what you want to be doing in the state tournament."

Dixon now has 35 goals after scoring twice against Mount St. Mary and twice during a 3-0 win over Cabot on Friday. The Lady Tigers needed Dixon's productivity after Mount St. Mary took a 1-0 lead on a goal by Cally Cochran less than two minutes into the game.

Cochran held a defender off and delivered an accurate shot on goal to give the Belles a surprising early lead over the defending state champions.

"Mount St. Mary is fast and that's the kind of play I expected out of them," Henry said. "It didn't surprise me, honestly, that they'd get off to a good start."

Dixon tied the game on a header with 12:03 left in the first half. The junior midfielder then struck again to put Bentonville ahead with 24:56 left in the game. Dixon muscled past two defenders and got off a shot that was partially blocked by the goalie. But the kick was strong enough to trickle into the net as Dixon fell forward onto the turf.

"She's a competitor," Henry said. "All of our girls are competitors, but she is one determined kid."

Dixon missed an opportunity for a third goal when she hurried a shot in the second half.

Bentonville controlled field position and ball possession, but Mount St. Mary (14-4-1) had a few opportunities, including three goals that were nullified by penalties. Two of the calls came with players tangled up inside the goalie box.

"Referees never win or lose a game," Clark said. "But to have three goals called back or not allowed, that's tough to swallow."

Sports on 05/18/2014

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