Big second half propels Lady Tigers to Elite Eight

The Adairsville girls soccer team cruised to a 7-1 Class AAA second round playoff victory over visiting Jackson Wednesday night at Tiger Valley. The Lady Tigers, who led 2-1 at halftime, improved to 17-1 on the season. Adairsville also won a coin toss following the game to host their state quarterfinal match. The opponent in the next round will be Savannah Arts Academy. The exact day and time for the match has yet to be decided, but will be on either Friday (May 6) or Saturday (May 7).

A coin toss to determine the host site was necessary since both the Lady Tigers and Lady Panthers won their respective regions.

Adairsville, in the playoffs for the fourth straight year and fifth time overall, has now reached the state quarterfinals for the first time in program history.

The 7th-ranked Lady Tigers scored twice in a closely contested first half.

Emily Collum scored in the 15th minute with an assist from Katie Lawhorn to take a 1-0 lead. Then after Jackson tied the game 1-1, Chloe Cochran scored off an assist from Kaitlyn Webster in the game’s 33rd minute. That gave Adairsville a 2-1 advantage at the break.

Gillian Johnson put the Lady Tigers ahead 3-1 early in the second half off a feed from Collum and Lawhorn scored following a free kick by Victoria Davis in the 69th minute for a 4-1 lead.

Cochran added a pair of second half goals to complete a three-goal hat trick in the contest. Collum and Haley Pittman assisted for a commanding, 6-1 Adairsville lead.

In the 79th minute, Aleah Abernathy capped the Lady Tigers’ scoring off a pass from Lawhorn.

Freshman keeper, Havyn Isaac, picked up the victory in goal with four saves. Davis, Mac Stephenson, Emily Emmons, Lauren Stephenson, Molly Carter, and Macy Hufstetler continued to be steady defenders for the Lady Tigers.

The date and starting time for the quarterfinal match will be decided Thursday by school officials. Savannah Arts Academy defeated Jefferson 2-1 Wednesday night in the second round.