Lady Rockets knotted with MTCS on senior night

The 2011 Forrest Lady Rockets pose on Senior Night in Chapel Hill. Bottom row from left, seniors Lindsey McCullough, Cindy Macy, Camille Harris, Ciara Cook, Brittney Hill, Jassamyn Litaker, and Claire Perkins. Middle row from left, Julie Macy, Stacey Horton, Madisson McGuiggan, Chelsey Ayala, Teddi Conder, Anyssa Strong, Allison Perivolaris, and Aliyah Loyd. Back row from left, Cody Pigg, Candace Daughrity, Scarlett Roberson, Carson Threadgill, Andi Buchholz, Katey Campbell, Jamie White, LaDonna Stinson, Cassie Septer, Jordan Weatherly, Holly Amoroso, Kelsy Toy, and Staci Brock. Photo by Anthony S. Puca [Order this photo]

Forrest trails MTCS by three points in the standings with games remaining Tuesday at Cornersville and at Summit on Thursday in the regular season finale.

MTCS has completed their schedule with a 3-3-2 league record, giving Forrest (2-2-2) a chance to grab the last home game in the first round of the district tournament if they can manage a win and a tie in the last two games.

Forrest Freshman Cassie Septer (10) scores her first career goal in the first half for a 1-0 Lady Rockets' lead. [Order this photo]

The Lady Cougars took control early and kept the ball in the Lady Rockets' end of the field, but could not get a shot past FHS keeper Stacey Horton, who stopped several scoring attempts by MTCS.

Forrest finally got some offense churning and at the 16:52 mark of the first half, freshman Cassie Septer broke free on the right wing and scored her first career goal for a 1-0 hometown lead.

Moments later, a foul was called against the Lady Rockets deep in their zone and sophomore Erin Jennings took advantage of the whistle as she drilled the penalty shot past Horton to tie the game.

The Lady Cougars, spurred by tying goal kept the pressure on and it paid off when they scored again with four minutes remaining in the first half when Lizzy Woodruff knocked in a rebound off her own shot to make it 2-1.

Forrest had one last scoring opportunity at the end of the half when senior Brittany Hill broke free and hit a left foot laser that was stopped by Lady Cougar keeper Megan Smith and the half ended with FHS trailing 2-1.

The Lady Rockets came out on fire at the outset of the second forty minutes and applied some heavy pressure on the MTCS defense.

Camille Harris found some space on the right wing on a charge up field and found Ciara Cook on a beautiful crossing passing for the equalizer at the 37:48 mark.

It was Cook's 43 goal of the season and the senior had a chance to put Forrest ahead moments later on a penalty kick from about thirty yards out, but her kick was off the mark and the game remained knotted at 2-2.

The play got rough after about midway through the half as the two teams exchanged yellow cards.

Both squads had a few good scoring chances as the game wound down, but neither was able to put the silver sphere in the goal and the contest ended in a draw.