Lady Bulldogs advance to Region 23 semifinals with win over Itawamba

RIDGELAND --- The No. 4 Holmes Community College Lady Bulldogs picked up a 9-2 NJCAA Region 23 quarterfinal win here Saturday over the No. 17 Itawamba Community College Lady Indians.

Holmes will play Northwest on Friday at 4:30 p.m. at Jones in the Region 23 semifinals. Jones will face the winner of Pearl River and Gulf Coast in the other semifinal at 2 p.m. Friday. Gulf Coast and Pearl River will play on Monday.

The Lady Bulldogs jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the 12^th minute on a goal from Tailynn Remmel on an assist from Jaycelyn Russ. Aiyanah Jones then scored on a Brianna Lopez assist in the 15^th minute to go up 2-0. Russ then scored on a Bailee Fairley assist to go up 3-0 in the 23^rd minute.

Itawamba scored in the 30^th minute to, and Holmes led 3-1 at halftime.

The Lady Bulldogs came out in the second half and scored quickly in the 50^th minute on a goal from K.K. Morris on an assist from Laila Anderson. The lead increased to 5-1 in the 58^th minute on a goal from Lopez on an assist from Leslie Carroll.

Remmel scored again in the 63^rd minute on an unassisted goal, and Stevie Kerns scored in the 66^th minute on an unassisted goal.

Kristen Phillips then scored her first of two goals in the 70^th minute on an assist from Remmel before Itawamba added a goal in the 76^th minute. Phillips' other goal came in the 78^th minute on an assist from Fairley to end all scoring.

Addi Roberts started the game and played 60 minutes in goal. She had four saves and gave up one goal while Karly Murphy played 30 minutes and had three saves and gave up one goal.