Lady Bulldogs lose battle with Gulf Coast in MACJC semifinals

ELLISVILLE --- After running through their 2018 regular season schedule unblemished, the No. 10 ranked Holmes Community College Lady Bulldogs found themselves in great position heading into the MACJC State Tournament semifinals Saturday vs. Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College at Jones College.

Holmes had defeated Gulf Coast, 4-3, in a match in the regular season that went to overtime. Saturday's match was no different except for the result as Holmes and Gulf Coast went 110 minutes (90 minutes in regular time and two 10-minute OT periods) and penalty kicks before Gulf Coast came out with a 4-2 PK advantage advancing them to today's state title match with Jones.

With the loss, the Lady Bulldogs ended the season at 15-0-1. Sophomores Morgan McKinion, Bailey O'Connor, Cheyla Watkins, Madison Lee, Brookelyn Cramer, Pepper Ann Filbert, Nikki De La Garza, McKenzie Sims, Monica Stieh, Kaitlyn Goza, Jazmin Roman, Rosa Quintero and Sarah Chastain played their final games at Holmes Community College. The sophomores finished their two years with two North Division championships, a MACJC/Region XXIII runner-up trophy and a No. 1 seed heading into this year's state tournament.

Holmes had two goals called back in the match. The Lady Bulldogs were called for offsides in the second half and called for a foul on a free kick that took away a header from Chastain.

During the penalty kicks, Associate Head Coach Wesley Noble called on Peyton Montgomery, Brookelyn Cramer, Pepper Ann Filbert, McKenzie Sims and Zoe Ellis to attempt the shots. The teams swapped PKs on the first two attempts with both teams making their attempts as Montgomery and Cramer took the shot for Holmes. Gulf Coast made their third attempt, but Filbert missed giving Gulf Coast the one PK advantage. Gulf Coast then made their fourth attempt, but an attempt by Sims was no good sealing the match for Gulf Coast. Ellis did not get to attempt her shot.