Gabby Lawrence was an unlikely hero Friday night for the Ankeny Centennial girls’ soccer team.
The senior midfielder scored the winning penalty kick to end a marathon shootout as the seventh-ranked Jaguars defeated visiting Omaha (Neb.) Skutt Catholic, 2-1, in a non-conference game.
It took 10 kicks from both teams before Lawrence found the net to give Centennial an 8-7 margin.
“Gabby was standing on the sideline, and we were going to need more shooters before we could start cycling back through the original group,” said Centennial coach Chris Allen. “She had drilled a left footed corner–despite being right footed–in practice the previous day, so when I asked her to take one, I also asked her to kick it with her left. She said, ‘Okay,’ with a shrug, and the rest is history. It’s incredibly gutsy to go to the mark with the game on the line and hit it opposite footed.”
The two teams battled on even terms most of the way. The Jaguars, who held a slight advantage in possession time, raised their record to 3-1.
“We were excited to host a team we knew little about other than their legacy of dominance in Nebraska,” Allen said. “We had some film, but it didn’t tell the tale of how much quality they had and how deep they run. They were a fantastic challenge and well coached.”
Centennial took a 1-0 lead in the first half when McKenna Hilton scored off an assist by Ava Martin.
“My goal was thanks to an amazing play by Ava, who fed me an excellent ball that was cut back through their defensive line,” said Hilton. “I knew I had to make the most of it.”
Skutt Catholic eventually got an equalizer in the second half.
“Skutt ramped up their pressure and had us under to start the half again,” Allen said. “We knew they liked to serve crosses, and they created a chance, which resulted in a volley finish on our back post. Again, they were just a little more certain going to the loose balls than we were at the time.”
In the shootout, Skutt Catholic missed its initial attempt before Hilton converted for the Jaguars.
“Taking my PK first was definitely a little stressful, but I try my best to not allow myself to overthink the small details of the kick and just try to keep the ball on frame and drive through it,” Hilton said. “Nonetheless, I had confidence in myself as well as my team.”
Skutt then made its next three kicks and got a chance to prolong the shootout when Centennial missed its fourth kick. The two teams then traded two makes, a miss and two more makes on the next five kicks.
Skutt missed on its 10th try, setting the stage for Lawrence’s heroics.
“I think Skutt was an amazing matchup for us,” Hilton said. “It was a game that allowed our team to showcase our perseverance no matter how tired we got or how stressful the situation was.”
The Jaguars will travel to No. 9 Dowling Catholic for a CIML Conference game against the Maroons (0-1), who opened their season on Friday with a 3-0 loss at No. 1 Valley.
“This game showed us that we can play with and beat the best, but we also can see the importance of consistency,” Allen said. “We can’t switch off, and we have to fight through pressure to keep our identity in how we play and communicate with one another. The girls did a nice job staying resilient and finding a way, and that will be important for us going forward.”