Soccer: Bentonville edges Fayetteville with penalty kicks

Fayetteville goalkeeper Gracie Cape (left) collides Tuesday with midfielder Avery Tubb (center) as Bentonville’s Victoria Mitchell takes a shot on goal during the first half at Harmon Stadium in Fayetteville. Visit nwadg.com/photos to see more photographs from the matches.
Fayetteville goalkeeper Gracie Cape (left) collides Tuesday with midfielder Avery Tubb (center) as Bentonville’s Victoria Mitchell takes a shot on goal during the first half at Harmon Stadium in Fayetteville. Visit nwadg.com/photos to see more photographs from the matches.

FAYETTEVILLE -- All Kristina Henry wanted during the penalty-kick session was one save from Gabby Miller.

Bentonville's girls soccer coach didn't have to wait long for it Tuesday night. The senior goalkeeper wrapped her hands around Fayetteville's first try, and that led to the Lady Tigers' 4-2 decision in penalty kicks after the two teams played to a scoreless tie at Harmon Field

"If Gabby can make a save, we have a chance," Henry said. "In my mind, that's always the hope -- that the goalkeeper makes one save and the shooters bury theirs."

Anslea Haikey had already hit Bentonville's first penalty kick when Miller correctly chose to go to her left and denied Hannah Davis' kick. Melanie Matkins then went high into the left corner with her kick and gave the Lady Tigers (10-1, 7-0) a 2-0 edge.

Fayetteville (8-3, 6-1) still had a chance to tie as Payton Woodward hit her kick, then Lady Purple'Dog goalkeeper Gracie Cape blocked Lauren Hargus' attempt. Mary Rose Warren's kick, however, hit the crossbar and bounced away, then Bentonville sealed the win when Merrill Leak and Alyssa Carlson connected on their kicks.

"I was glad I was able to save the first one because that let off some anxiety," Miller said. "I was pumped up more, then she hit the post. That helped us out a lot.

"I didn't know it was going to hit the pole. I just went up in case it didn't hit the pole. I thought I had my hands up there far enough that it would have been fine had it not hit the post. It was fortunate that it did."

Both teams are capable of scoring plenty of goals, but it was the defensive units that controlled regulation play. Shots on goal were kept at a minimum, and both goalkeepers had easy save opportunities when they came.

"There are a couple of things that will help us," Fayetteville coach Joe Thoma said. "That's the whole thing about midseason. It's not the end of the season, so we learn.

"We've been practicing on our penalty kicks, but we didn't execute them like we wanted to. Aside from that, Bentonville did an excellent job of dictating the pace the whole second half."

Rogers Heritage 2, Springdale Har-Ber 1

Bailee Russell snapped a 1-1 tie with just under 20 minutes left to give the Lady War Eagles a big 7A-West Conference win Tuesday night.

Russell took a nice cross from Hannah Markel and tapped it in to give Heritage (8-4, 4-3 7A-West) the lead. Har-Ber (2-5 7A-West) took a 1-0 lead on an Elise Reina goal in the first half. But Heritage tied it 1-1 on a goal by Grace Brackett off an Emily Seiler corner kick.

Boys

Bentonville 1, Fayetteville 1 (Bentonville 4-2 PKs)

Tyler Roberts hit a game-tying goal with 1 minute, 36 seconds left in regulation, and Bentonville went to win its third straight game with penalty kicks.

Chase Hunter gave the Tigers (8-2-1, 5-2) a 1-0 edge when he hit the first penalty kick, and goalkeeper Ben Barron made it stand with two straight blocks. Bentonville then clinched the victory with penalty kicks by Wyatt D'Spain, Bruno Mariscotti and Eli Brandon, who has hit the game-clincher in all three.

Josh Belford gave Fayetteville (5-6-1, 2-5) its only goal in regulation off a deflected corner kick with 31:44 left in the first half. Belford and Harry Morante scored the Purple'Dogs' two penalty kicks.

Springdale High 2, Rogers High 1

Jose Vega scored two second-half goals as Springdale rallied from a halftime deficit to cap an unbeaten first half of 7A-West play.

The Bulldogs (13-2, 7-0) won their eighth straight after trailing at halftime after Rogers (8-4, 3-4) scored within the game's first three minutes. But Vega tied the game in the second half and then scored the game-winning penalty kick with six minutes left.

Rogers Heritage 3, Springdale Har-Ber 2

Pedro Garcia scored two goals, while Erol Banuelos returned from a high ankle sprain to help the War Eagles claim the narrow win Tuesday evening at Gates Stadium.

Garcia scored back-to-back goal early in the second half to give Heritage a 2-0 lead. Har-Ber countered with a goal by Ivan Fuentes to get within 2-1, but Banuelos scored for the 3-1 lead. Har-Ber scored with 3 minutes, 58 seconds left on a goal by Juan Mejia and then missed just wide with the potential tying goal with about two minutes left.

Sports on 04/13/2016

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