Brock Netter, Editor
Southern Ohio Sports Authority is presented by OhioHealth.
LANCASTER — For 99 minutes on Tuesday night, Fairfield pushed itself to a limit that it hadn’t had to throughout the season.
The Lions absorbed Fairbanks’ best shots and continued to recover.
And while the defense was put on its heels throughout most of the night, it still held firm in the face of adversity.
But in minute 100, just like that, it was over.
Heartbreak.
Pushing the game into double overtime, Fairfield (13-7) held off the Panthers as long as it could. But off a corner kick, Fairbanks (16-3-2) pushed into the box and ended the Lions’ season by a 2-1 final in a Division V regional semifinal.
“This team battled so hard for 99 minutes and never gave up. It’s the regional semifinal, so we knew this wasn’t going to be an easy game,” Fairfield coach Jacob Alexander said. “We knew we’d have our chances and we had some. But you just wish we had one more.”
CREDIT: Brock Netter/SOSA
Fairbanks’ game plan was centered around precision passing and stellar ball movement, which kept the Lions off-balance all night.
However, the Panthers had trouble once they entered the final 15 yards of Lion territory, and didn’t manage any shots early.
Fairfield had the only shot through the opening 15 minutes of the game, but missed just high to keep the game scoreless.
As both teams slowly began to figure out each other, Fairbanks was more aggressive in the open field and began to send a series of shots on target, although Fairfield’s Meri Jackson was corralling everything in front of her.
That is, until the Panthers caught a break.
Off a corner kick with 6:02 left in the half, off a ricochet on the corner, Mia Pagan slipped one past the line and into the back of the net to put her team ahead 1-0 at halftime.
“We were too passive in the first half and let them get to the ball, make their move and we were just reacting,” Alexander said. “It came down to us getting back to playing our brand of soccer and handling adversity. It’s not the adversity that defines you, it’s how you handle it that defines you. So we had to find that moment and seize the opportunity.”
The Lions knew they had to counter, and they caught a lucky break. Fairbanks was whistled for a handball just inches before the ball rolled out of bounds.
PHOTOS: Images from Fairfield’s Division V regional semifinal matchup
That set up a free kick from Ashlyn Bellamy, who sent a perfect pass into the box. Ava Hooper was on the receiving end and connected for the goal, tying the game at 1-1 less than five minutes into the second half.
“That was such a huge moment. Ashlyn played a great ball, a little bit of a dangerous one, but a great one into the box and you’re just hoping that someone gets a shot off it,” Alexander said. “Ava was right there to connect and that allowed us to sort of catch our breath and regroup.”
From the point on, both teams continued to press, looking for the go-ahead goal.
The Panthers managed to tallied more shot attempts, but Jackson continued to be a wall and sacrifice herself to keep the ball from crossing the line, helping to send the game into extra time.
Jackson continued to be the story of the game into extra time, making save after save and leaving it all on the field.
Fairfield managed one shot, but it fell just short of the upper corner and right into the arms of Fairbanks’ keeper, pushing the game into double overtime.
“For being a first-time starter, she’s played so well all year and she saved her best for the most important game,” Alexander said. “We have a great back line and everyone played such a great game, but Meri has been the most clutch person on our defense. She routinely came up with save after save and shined in the biggest moments.”
CREDIT: Brock Netter/SOSA
The Lions weren’t mustering much offense, aside from clearing the ball and hoping for a breakaway chance.
Although they attempted to make a final push, it came crashing down as the Panthers earned a corner and, through the traffic, Emily Vance got a foot on the ball and connected with net, putting the final nail in Fairfield’s season.
After capturing the program’s second-ever district championship, the Lions are forced to say goodbye to six seniors — Hooper, Mya McIntosh, Adelia McIntosh, Ashlyn Bellamy, Sophie Humphrey, and Rilee Quickle.
“This group of seniors came in this year with lofty goals, and achieved most of them,” Alexander said. “Winning the only two district titles in Fairfield history, they’ve set a new standard for how we define success. The bar is even higher now than it was before and that’s because of them.”
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