Hendersonville Standard
HENDERSONVILLE WEATHER

Smyrna soccer wins physical battle over Hendersonville




Smyrna's Myo Kyo and Hendersonville's Benjamin Kieser try to control the ball during their regional semifinals game at Smyrna on Tuesday. HARRISON MCCLARYMONTE HALEmhale@mainstreetmediatn.com

Smyrna’s Myo Kyo and Hendersonville’s Benjamin Kieser try to control the ball during their regional semifinals game at Smyrna on Tuesday. HARRISON MCCLARYMONTE HALEmhale@mainstreetmediatn.com

SMYRNA — Smyrna’s soccer team played a physical soccer game against a storied program in Hendersonville on Tuesday night and came away with a 3-2 victory in the region semifinals.

Trailing 2-0 in the second half and playing a man up after a red card to Chet French, Smyrna rallied to tie the game to send it into two 10-minute overtime periods.

No one scored in the 20 minutes of play, so it was on to penalty kicks as Travis Hagar stopped two of the Commando shots. Smyrna connected on all of its kicks — the final one by Kevin Segura to give the Bulldogs a 3-2 victory.

Smyrna will now host Station Camp for the region title on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.

“I was so happy as there was no pressure. We just played a wonderful game.” Segura said of his game-winning penalty kick. “We have to keep practicing and working hard. We have to work harder than ever if we want to keep playing,”

Hendersonville scored first on a free kick by Christian Kernell as he sent the ball into the box, and Sam Pomeroy’s head connected with it and put it in.

In the second half, the physical play continued as neither team would give an inch. Nearly three minutes into the half, a foul was called. A Commando player pleaded his case with the referee who heard some but eventually did not want to hear anymore, so out came out the red card and the ejection.

For the remaining 37 minutes, Hendersonville was down a man as it was 11 versus 10. The Commandos still took advantage, and a few minutes later Harrison Perry broke through for another and it was 2-0 Hendersonville. It looked bleak for the Bulldogs.

Thirty seconds later, Smyrna got on the board as Kevin Avalos controlled the ball, put it on his foot and put it past the keeper and it was 2-1 with plenty of time left.

“(Kevin) Avalos is a special player and you just enjoy a player like that for the time that you have him for the four years. He is very skilled and fast,” Grogan said.

Smyrna then dominated play as for the next 15 minutes the action was played in the Bulldogs’ end.

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