Soccer team advances in playoffs

Junior Lauren Piercy keeps the ball away from a Canyon defender

Junior Lauren Piercy keeps the ball away from a Canyon defender

The Lady Raiders will play El Paso Irvin tonight in Odessa at Ratliff Stadium for the Regional Quarterfinals. If they win, they will advance to the Regional Tournament in Wichita Falls and will play on Friday against the winner of Denton Guyer and Arlington Heights.

The girls began their playoff run with a bye in the first round, then played Lubbock High winning 2-1, then played Frenship in the Sectional round and won 2-1.

There are four rounds left until the State Championship; the Regional Quarterfinals, Regional semi finals, Regional Finals, State Semi finals, then State finals.

The team ended district play with a record of 11 wins, one loss, and two ties. As of now, their overall record is 18 wins, four losses, and three ties. There are eight seniors on the team, including one manager.

“We have battled injuries all year, and we graduated 11 seniors last year, so coming into this year everyone expected us to be in a ‘rebuilding’ year,” Head coach Whitney McClain said. “These girls have all worked their hearts out to prove that we are just as strong as we have been in the past, and they continue to prove themselves game after game.”