Clay Archer, Contributor
JACKSON — A tie isn’t what either Hillsboro or Jackson was looking for Thursday evening. But it’s certainly better than adding a loss to either’s record.
CREDIT: Brock Netter/SOSA
The Indians and Ironladies played to a 2-2 deadlock in Frontier Athletic Conference action at Alumni Stadium thanks to a late goal off the foot of Jackson’s Taylor Thorpe.
“We started out on top and it was really a battle in the middle [of the field],” Jackson’s Brynlee Vermillion said. “In the end, we came back and tied. A tie is always better than a loss so we’ll take it. It’s obviously not the result we wanted but we’ll take it.”
In a first half dominated by defense, Vermillion got the scoring started with 21:09 left before halftime. That’d be the only score in the first 40 minutes as Jackson (4-4-2, 3-2-2 FAC) held a 1-0 lead at the break.
“It was a [free] kick from Makayla Wyant. She played it over the top, I just ran over it and the goalie came out,” Vermillion said. “I just knocked it beside her. It was a good ball. The defense just didn’t follow.”
The second half started much like the first. However, Hillsboro’s Lexie Sheppard broke through the Ironladies’ defense with 28:11 left in regulation, evening the score at 1-1. Nearly 13 minutes later, at the 15:35 mark, Sheppard scored her second goal of the evening, giving the Indians (3-6-2, 3-3-1 FAC) their first lead at 2-1.
With time running out, Jackson placed pressure on Hillsboro’s defense for much of the remaining time. With just 1:35 left to play, it paid off as Taylor Thorpe found the back of the net to even the score once more and, eventually, provide the night’s final.
The Ironladies are back in action Monday evening, hosting Logan. They’ll then go through a stretch where they face Washington, Chillicothe, Alexander, Circleville and Miami Trace to end their regular season slate.
Hillsboro will travel to Miami Trace on Tuesday before dates with McClain and Clinton-Massie.
“Obviously, like I said, a tie is better than a loss,” Vermillion said. “We wanted a win and this might affect our [tournament] seeding. But it’s not a loss.”