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Every athlete dreams of being involved in the play that helps their team come to a victory, especially in an overtime battle.
The Tigers' Natalie Nava did just that on Wednesday night at Edwardsville High School, slapping in the winning goal with 8:04 left in overtime to defeat Rockwood Summit 3-2. Ryley Miller set up the score with her long shot toward goal.
“I am just glad I could help my team get the win we needed,” Nava, only a sophomore, said. “I just thought it might be one of the last opportunities we could have to score and I knew to take it and it worked out for us. I just felt really good about the win and I am glad that we worked as a team when we needed to most.”
The match was tied at 2-2 at the end of regulation, so overtime was necessary. Edwardsville coach Julia Tyler said she wanted her team to get a shot in the overtime to win.
Miller said she felt good when she released her goal attempt that Nava tapped in to the net. She also said she planned the shot to set up people at the net.
"We had to pick up our play at the end,” Miller said. “Coach Tyler wanted us to play as a unit and keep talking.”
Summit coach Andy Neil said his team was concerned about Annie Mulford of Edwardsville the entire match.
“She (Mulford) made three of four goals in the previous match against us,” he said. “We did a good job with her, we weren’t able to capitalize on some of our chances.”
Tyler said her girls have had a busy playing schedule the past few weeks and with homecoming she has tried to keep them focused and ready to play.
“We have to also make sure we play teams like we haven’t beaten them before,” she said. “The girls have to finish and make sure they are connecting their passes in the circle.” Edwardsville blanked Summit 4-0 in an earlier match this season.
Mulford and Miller had Edwardsville’s first two goals. Summit tied the matchup at 2-2 with 2:56 left in match. Emily Thrower had that goal and the other Summit goal in the action.
Edwardsville plays again at 5:30 p.m. at Rockwood Summit. The Tigers will also play at either 10:15 or 11:30 on Saturday at Edwardsville in the tourney.
Annie Mulford scored the first goal for Edwardsville; Miller had the other.
Tyler said she hopes her girls will come up with more fire early on Friday and learn a lesson from being so close to Summit in this game.
Edwardsville is 11-8 overall after Wednesday’s triumph.
