By Kyle Roberts
Floodlike conditions and a second-half red card did not stop the Ruston Lady Bearcats (7-7-1) from knocking off longtime rival Neville 3-1 on the road as the final week of the regular season approaches.
“Tonight was a huge win for my girls,” Lady Bearcat head coach Jacquelyn Bean said. “Neville has a good attack and scored first just before midway in the first half. I tell the girls before every match– someone is going to score, no matter if that’s us or them, so how are you going to react? Keep playing. Keep working. Just like that, we equalized a few minutes later with a free kick (from junior Elliana Ramos) from almost 40 yards out. It hung and went in over the keeper.”
Ruston had a 1-1 tie heading into halftime before a pair of second half goals propelled the Lady Bearcats to a victory.
Junior Mia Tapia would put a ball in the box for junior Morgan Foster who would put a header into the back of the net. Tapia would seal the deal for the third goal despite the girls having to play a Bearcat-down after a second yellow card.
“My girls have worked so hard; I know it’s cliche but they really do,” Bean said. “Week after week, they’ve bought in to all the things we’ve laid before them. Whether it’s fitness or strengthening and conditioning, or the same passing drill until they get it right, they work and they work some more. They’re seeing the fruits of their labor.”
