Instead Progreso’s Ana Perez delivered the tying goal that would eventually give the Lady Red Ants a 1-1, 4-2 penalty shoot out win Saturday night at Burnett Stadium.
“I keep telling my girls you have to keep fighting until the end because anything can happen,” said Progreso head coach Luciano Acosta Jr. “I told these girls, yes we’re the favorites to win but there’s been a lot of upsets so far so you have to keep fighting until the end and never give up.”
After a scoreless regulation period, the teams headed to extra time with two 10-minute periods of overtime. Halfway through the first extra time period Raymondville’s Samantha Capetillo took a free kick from just outside the box and struck it with pace putting the Lady Bearkats up 1-0.
However Ana Perez had different ideas as the junior beat the defensive back four with just seven seconds left and toe-poked the tying goal in from short range.
“All this season she’s been a threat to every team we’ve played,” said Acosta of Perez. “Every team sees her and try’s to mark her but the good thing is they can’t catch up to her.
“She scored 13 or 14 goals so far this year and I’m glad she did it again.”
The junior forward was a threat all night and her pace off the ball made her dangerous for defenders.
Progreso’s Angela Munoz was first up to take the opening kick, however the ball hit the upper post just above the keeper and bounced out.
Lady Bearcat’s Destiny Delgado stepped up to take the team’s first shot, but the freshman’s chance went above the upper bar. The Lady Red Ants converted their next three opportunities to go ahead 3-2.
With the weight of the game on her shoulders, Jacqueline Sarmiento placed the ball and shot it past a diving keeper to give Progreso its first playoff victory in three years.
The Lady Red Ants face Beeville Jones, which enjoyed a bye in the first round of their playoffs.