In the postseason, it doesn't matter if you win by one or by six, you just want to win to advance.
Of course, if you win by six, it takes a lot of the pressure off.
"I did not expect the score to be as lopsided as it was," Lady Jays coach Eddie Horn said after Jefferson City opened Class 4 District 11 Tournament play with a 7-1 victory against the Sedalia Smith-Cotton Lady Tigers at the 179 Soccer Park.
"If we played our best game, I thought maybe we could win by two or three goals. Playoffs are always hard. 7-1 was a nice surprise."
Smith-Cotton (14-8) looked to be a dangerous No. 4 seed in the four-team tournament. The Lady Tigers had scored five or more goals in eight games this season and had posted eight shutouts on defense.
"You had to come into it thinking it was going to be a one-goal game," Horn said. "If we got lucky, maybe two."
But Jefferson City took the drama out of the game early as Tayler LePage scored twice in the first 12 minutes to give the Lady Jays the lead.
LePage's first goal came five minutes in, assisted by Mckenzie Gourley. On the second score, Sarah Luebbert centered the ball to Eden Hoogveld, whose shot was stopped. But LePage was there to put back the rebound.
Hoogveld made it 3-0 with a goal midway through half on an assist by Luebbert.
Gourley then scored twice in OVERSET FOLLOWS:the final 11 minutes to give Jefferson City a 5-0 lead at the half. Luebbert assisted on the first goal before Gourley scored on a rebound of a shot by Luebbert.
"(Smith-Cotton) had some moments where they held onto the ball and did some things," Horn said. "But we were playing pretty well offensively."
Hoogveld got her second goal of the game three minutes into the second half, assisted by Kaley Ruff, and it was 6-0.
Smith-Cotton got on the board four minutes later on a goal by Sydney Mefford.
"If there was anything disappointing about today, giving up the shutout was it," Horn said.
Ria Totsikas scored the final goal for the Lady Jays with three minutes remaining Jefferson City's reserves saw much of the time in the second half.
Jefferson City (16-5-3, ranked No. 8 by the Missouri High School Soccer Coaches Association) advances to take on second-seeded Hickman (13-11) for the district title at 6 p.m. Tuesday. Hickman defeated Rock Bridge 3-0 in Saturday's second semifinal.
"It's going to get a lot harder," Horn said. "We just glad we're going to be playing on Tuesday."
Jefferson City defeated Hickman 2-1 on April 21 at the 179 Soccer Park. LePage the game-winner in that one, assisted by Luebbert, with six minutes remaining.