Posted  11:15 p.m. October 24, 2006

    Farragut eliminates OR 1-0

    By Mike Blackerby
    editor@oakridgesports.com

    FARRAGUT -- In the end, maybe it was simply too much to ask of Oak Ridge to
    pull out a third win of the season over arch rival Farragut.
    The Lady Admirals, after losing a pair of one-goal matches to Oak Ridge during
    the regular season, turned the tables when it counted most as they knocked the
    Lady Wildcats out of postseason play Tuesday night with a 1-0 overtime victory.
    Casey Ulrich’s goal with 4:14 left in the first 10-minute overtime period lifted
    Farragut (18-4) past OR and sends the Lady Admirals into Thursday’s Region 2
    title match.
    Coach O.J. Sheppard’s Lady Wildcats end up 15-7-1 after winning their first eight
    games of the season.
    “It was tough to come in here after beating them twice,” said Sheppard.
    “The whole season boils down to one shot. We had shut down Ulrich for three
    games.”
    Ulrich’s score came as the Lady Wildcats were trying to clear the ball out from in
    front of the net.
    All of a sudden, the ball popped free and Ulrich delivered. Just last week in the
    District 4-AAA title game against Bearden, Ulrich also supplied the deciding goal.
    While scoring was obviously lacking for both the Lady Wildcats and Lady
    Admirals, scoring opportunities were rampant.
    Both goal keepers -- Megan Buzzeo of Farragut and Lauren Fritts of Oak Ridge --
    turned in superlative efforts, according to Sheppard.
    “Tonight was a game of goal keepers. Fritts played a great game in goal for us.”
    Despite the devastating loss, Sheppard said his players put everything on the
    line in 100 minutes of soccer action.
    “They played hard and they left it on the field. They did everything we asked them
    to.”
    Oak Ridge’s sense of urgency was tangible in the second 10-minute overtime
    period.
    But, the Lady Wildcats, who had several solid scoring opportunities during the
    contest, could just never convert.
    “We had two or three good opportunities where the ball just doesn’t drop,” offered
    Sheppard.
    Farragut did a good job containing Trenna Howell, Oak Ridge’s leading scorer
    for the year with 27 goals. “She had one legitimate shot. They marked her pretty
    tight all night long.”
    With Howell tied up for much of the night, Sheppard said the lack of a strong No.
    2 shot maker finally came back to haunt the Lady Wildcats.
    Sheppard said Thursday’s game will likely stay with his team for quite some time.
    “It’s tough now … it’ll be tougher in the morning.”
OR VS Farragut 10/24/06