POWDER SPRINGS, Ga. — After two straight seasons falling in the Final 4, the Towns County girls soccer team finally got its shot at a state title.
However, the Lady Indians ran into 2023’s biggest Cinderella story on Tuesday in the Class A Division 2 state championship match in a battle of the top two teams in the classification. Aquinas scored three overtime goals to pull away for a 5-2 win at Cantrell Stadium at McEachern High School.
Aquinas completed a perfect 14-0 season after going 0-10 in 2022. The Lady Indians (8-6-1) saw their six-match win streak come to an end.
The Fightin' Irish took the initial lead on a Caroline Jackson goal 17 minutes in. The Lady Indians had chances, but the match went to the half with Aquinas hanging onto the slim lead.
Towns County finally got on the board in the 63rd minute when Sarah Shook found the net to tie the match at 1.
It stayed that way until just five minutes left when Aquinas appeared to get the game-winner on a goal by Landry Washington with 4:57 left to play for a 2-1 lead.
But the Lady Indians’ Alana Stowers sent it to overtime with a clutch goal with just 2:44 remaining in regulation.
Unfortunately for Towns County, it was all Aquinas in the extra time. Jackson gave the Fightin’ Irish a 3-2 lead with a goal with 5:40 remaining.
Aquinas extended its lead to 4-2 in the second OT period on an Elle Morris goal with 8:50 left. Jackson completed the hat trick heading in a cross off a corner with 1:25 left.
