TAMPA – A season after falling in a penalty shootout to Plant, Newsome gained a measure of revenge as it turned the tables on the Panthers, earning a 5-4 victory in a shootout that went to the seventh shooter after the two sides had played to a 2-2 tie in regulation in the final of the Lady Wildcat Invitational at Wharton High on Saturday afternoon.

After the Panthers had missed their shot in the seventh round, Kassandra Cobb gave the Wolves victory, driving a well-struck shot into the right side of the goal out of the reach of Plant goalkeeper Lauryn Bodden.

“I had a lot going through my head as I was walking up,” Cobb said. “I was so nervous, the game-winning goal, but I just did what I normally do, and it went in.”

Plant had appeared to have the upper hand early in the shootout as Bodden saved both of the Wolves first two kicks. But the Panthers were unable to capitalize on either shot after the Wolves misses, and Newsome’s Shea Rhoney made it 1-1 after the third round. The two sides then converted three straight shots apiece before Plant’s miss in the seventh round.

Newsome had taken the lead from the penalty spot with 10 minutes to go after Maria Cate was judged to have been brought down in the Panthers penalty area. Caroline Evers stepped up and coolly shot home low into the right corner. The Panthers tied the game with five minutes to go, though, as Caroline Bado’s crisp first-time finish into the right corner of the Wolves net capped a well-worked passing sequence. more