FLATWOODS —
When Russell’s Ashley Huffine aggravated a quad injury six minutes into the second half, coach Joe Grizzle had no plans to let the senior standout back onto the field.
In the end, her relentlessness won out.
Huffine crossed a pass to freshman Hollie Hencye for the winning goal in the second overtime period as the Lady Devils outlasted Ashland 4-3 on Tuesday night.
As Ashland rallied to wipe out all of Russell’s 3-0 halftime lead, Huffine did her best to talk her way back into the area’s top girls’ soccer rivalry.
“She aggravated me to death,” Grizzle said. “Ashley was crying and carrying on. I said, ‘Go over and sit down. You can’t go in.’”
Huffine kept pleading her case, however, especially after Ashland’s Sarah Hudson sent a direct kick bouncing into the goal in the final minutes of regulation to tie it 3-3.
“I was freaking out in the second half and begging to get in,” said Huffine, who scored two first-half goals. “I didn’t care (about the injury). At that point, it was not even in my head. I just wanted the W.”
Huffine finally got her way. She reentered to start the first extra period, which took on a somber tone when Ashland sophomore Aidan Young — the catalyst in her team’s comeback — went down with a leg injury and was helped off the field several minutes later.
“I feel bad for her,” Huffine said. “I don’t know what happened.”
After play resumed, the contest went to a second five-minute sudden death period and Huffine floated a perfect pass to the feet of Hencye, who finished if off.
“Ashley makes a great play right when we need it,” Grizzle said. “If she plays the second half, maybe it’s a different story. I don’t know. Her presence on the field makes a big difference.”
The victory had special significance for the Lady Devils. None of their current players had ever beaten Ashland, and time was beginning to run out for Huffine and five other seniors. Russell’s last win in the series came in 2008.
“This was huge, huge, huge, huge,” said a beaming Huffine. “It’s an amazing feeling to finally win over someone that has beaten you your whole high school career.”
Russell, 2-1 this season, threatened to blow the LadyCats off the field after the match started 30 minutes late due to a storm.
Two minutes in, Huffine scored off a Hencye corner kick. The Lady Devils converted another one midway through the half, this time Morgan Vonderheide putting in Heather Hencye’s kick from the opposite corner.
Huffine made it 3-0 four minutes later on a breakaway. Russell outshot Ashland 11-5 in controlling the first 40 minutes.
“Russell really took it to us the first half,” Ashland coach E. B. Lowman said. “They scored two minutes in, and we sort of got on our heels.”
The LadyCats (2-1) looked like a different team in the second half, however, sparked by Young’s position change from goalkeeper to midfield.
Young scored off an Allie Slone cross in the 50th minute to start Ashland’s comeback. Sophomore Charity Collins found the net after taking a pass from Allie Slone, and the momentum continued with Hudson’s tying goal.
“Definitely a tale of two halves,” Lowman said. “We didn’t show the first half, and I’m sure Joe will tell you his bunch didn’t show up the second half. We regrouped, came back and played well. It’s hard when you dig yourself into a three-goal hole.”
Grizzle said he warned his team at halftime not to take anything for granted.
“Give Ashland credit,” he said. “They came out in the second half and poured it on. When we play Ashland, it’s always going to be a battle.”
ROCKY STANLEY can be reached at rstanley@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2671.
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