Saturday morning’s win puts the Lady Raiders into the tournament semifinals. The semifinal match against McMinn County will be played at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Greater Cleveland Soccer Complex on Mouse Creek Road.
McMinn County advanced in a home quarterfinal match late Saturday evening by eliminating Walker Valley’s Lady Mustangs, 7-1.
In other soccer action this weekend, Ooltewah eliminated Bradley Central in a Friday afternoon quarterfinal 2-0. The Lady Owls advance to a Tuesday afternoon match with top-seeded Rhea County, which had a bye in the opening round.
Semifinal winners Tuesday will advance to Thursday’s championship match, which will be played on the field of the highest seed. Soddy-Daisy is seeded No. 1, Cleveland No. 2, McMinn County No. 3 and Ooltewah No. 4.
Opponents in the 5-AAA final will advance to Sub-State play.
Cleveland junior Megan Barker had a sensational performance for the Lady Raiders against Rhea County Saturday, scoring four of her team’s eight goals. Hope Haas added two goals and Bayleigh Ellis and McKenzie Ellis scored one each.
Picking up assists in the lopsided win were Barker, Leanne Indovino, Harris and Haas.
The Lady Golden Eagles never seriously threatened in the match, which runs Cleveland’s record to 11-6-2 through the first match of the 5-AAA tournament.
“We played well,” said Cleveland coach Andy Byrd Sunday. He was able to use his entire roster as the Lady Raiders cruised to their second straight one-sided victory. Cleveland defeated Grace Baptist Academy two days earlier in their regular season finale, 7-0.
- At the Athens Soccer Complex later Saturday evening, Walker Valley’s Lady Mustangs fell behind early and ended their 2010 season.
“We played well in the second period, but they ran out to a 6-0 lead at halftime,” coach Tom Bayliss said.
Saturday’s loss was the final high school performance for Walker Valley seniors Brianna Prugh, Georgia Wright, Natalie Davis and Haley Elliott.
“We lose some good girls, but we have a bunch of outstanding players back,” Bayliss said of prospects for next season.
Bayliss praised the play of Wright, Prugh, Cassie Kraft and Amy Grace Stokes in Saturday loss. He said Stokes and goalie Kim Owen paced the Lady Mustangs on defense. Prugh scored the lone Walker Valley goal.
