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Bentonville High School Athletics

BENTONVILLE GIRLS HEADED BACK TO FINALS

Bentonville girls headed back to finals

HAROLD MCILVAIN

Arkansas Online | 5/14/2017

PHOTO CREDIT: Andy Shupe

FORT SMITH -- Bentonville High is heading back to the 7A state girls soccer championship match.

Senior Lauren Hargus scored on a penalty kick in minute 44 of the game and that was enough to get past Springdale Har-Ber for a 1-0 victory Saturday at Jim Rowland Stadium.

"It is always special getting to the state tournament," Bentonville coach Kristina Henry said. ""It never feels like, 'here we go again.' This group has worked hard. This was our goal to get there again."

Har-Ber (15-7) didn't make it easy for Bentonville, who has won four of the last five state championships, to get back to the title game.

Bentonville (21-3) got its lone goal of the game against Har-Ber junior keeper Mekenna Taylor after drawing a penalty kick on a hand ball in the box was called.

"I thought we played well," Har-Ber coach Fabrizio Campagnola said. "We knew it would be tough to beat Bentonville. We had to make a big defensive effort. This game could've been tied very easily. The penalty kick hurt. That call could've gone either way."

Har-Ber was able to get two shots on goal in the second half that forced a pair of saves from Bentonville junior keeper Maddee East.

The Lady Wildcats had a good opportunity to score with about seven minutes left in the game on a shot on goal from senior Vanessa Reynoso, but it didn't find the back of the net.

"We tried to push there at the end," Campagnola said. "We had some very good looks to tie the game. But they made some good saves. There weren't too many chances on either side because they controlled the ball."

Bentonville didn't have any shots on goal in the first half but picked up the pace in the second half. The Lady Tigers finished with five in the second half while also doubling its overall shot total after the break.

"We knew in the second half we needed to come with more pace," Henry said. "We were a little shy in the first half to take them on. It took a little time. But we got there in the end."

Taylor was a big part of keeping Bentonville from adding to its lead in the second half. She finished with three saves and came out of the box early to stop other scoring opportunities.

"She is a great for us," Campagnola said of Taylor. "She is always in position and on top of that is very athletic. She helps us with ball control as well clearing it out for us. She is a complete keeper and had a great state tournament."

The Lady Tigers had a great opportunity to score when senior Lauren Holly had a shot on goal with 15 minutes left in the game, but it was stopped.

Senior forward Victoria Mitchell also had a shot on goal that required Taylor to make a jumping save to keep it out of the net with just eight minutes left.

"They played with a lot of confidence and were ready for us," Henry said. "They played better than either time we played them this year. They brought a very good game."

Despite getting just one goal in the game, Henry said she was proud of her team making the most of the opportunity of getting the penalty kick and getting good looks after that to advance.

"We had to come and press them," Henry said. "If you don't put some pressure on them, stuff like that won't happen. It was good to create that chance and make the most of it."
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