GREENEVILLE — Greeneville keeper Lilly Evatt had never experienced a shootout in her career. That changed with Thursday's Region 1-AA championship match against Tennessee High went to penalty kicks. The shootout was a new experience but, for Evatt and the Lady Greene Devils, the result remained the same — a region championship.
In this case, the final outcome was a 1-1 (3-2) victory for Greeneville. So how did Evatt approach her first-ever shootout? “I try to look at their eyes sometimes but I just really guess,” she said. It's not that easy.
Some of the greatest goal scorers and keepers have wilted in the pressure of a PK shootout. Evatt did not, making back-to-back saves. Meanwhile, Gabi Stayton and Matea Gray closed the shootout with consecutive makes to propel Greeneville to its 12th consecutive region title.
Both teams advance to the Class AA sectionals. The Devils (11-8-0) will host Region 2 runner-up Seymour (10-8-0) while Tennessee High (15-2-1) travels to face Region 2 champion Anderson County (12-6-1). Greeneville is now one win away from its 10th straight trip to the state tournament.
“Everybody always talks about the numbers and this and that but each one's got its own, like this one's gonna have its own identity,” longtime Greeneville coach Jerry Graham said. It certainly was a match to remember, for both sides. “Losing a game in a PK shootout was tough but I think we played them tougher than they've had in a long time,” THS coach Hunter Meade sai.