Perryville soccer team's season ends with 3-1 loss to Farmington in district semifinals

FARMINGTON, Mo. -- The Perryville girls soccer team had a chance to get the early jump on favored Farmington on Tuesday.

But a shot that appeared as if it might have penetrated the goal line after hitting the crossbar was ruled to have stayed out.

Although third-seeded Perryville had several other strong opportunities, second-seeded Farmington never looked back and posted a 3-1 victory in a Class 2 District 1 semifinal at Farmington High School.

The defending district champion Knights (16-6) will play top-seeded Notre Dame at 6 p.m. Thursday for the title.

"I thought we battled," Perryville coach Jerry Fulton said. "We had good chances."

Perryville’s Courtney Borden heads the ball in front of Farmington’s Hannah Marler during the second half of their Class 2 District 1 semifinal game Tuesday in Farmington, Mo. Farmington won 3-1. See more photos at semoball.com. (Laura Simon)

Perryville (10-10), which lost to Farmington 1-0 in last year's district final, threatened to go ahead a little more than 12 minutes into Tuesday's contest.

Sophomore Allison Moldenhauer broke free from a Farmington defender and rocketed a shot that slammed into the crossbar and bounced down. Perryville coaches, players and fans thought the ball came down over the goal line, but the officials didn't see it that way.

"I thought it was in, but I'm not there," said Fulton, whose squad's bench was on the opposite side of the field from the shot. "I thought it hit the bar and went backward, then spun out."

Farmington scored about nine minutes later when sophomore sensation Taylor Sancegraw dribbled around two Perryville defenders along the left side and buried a low shot to the far right corner.

Sancegraw struck again with about 13 minutes left in the half when she bended a corner kick into the far right corner.

Farmington's Tanner Lynn, center, edges out Perryville's Courtney Borden as goalkeeper Elizabeth Kahn saves a shot by Borden in the second half of their Class 2 District 1 semifinal game Tuesday, May 15, 2012 in Farmington, Mo. Farmington won 3-1. (Laura Simon)

Sancegraw, who has committed verbally to play for the University of Arkansas, has 58 goals this season.

"She's very talented," Fulton said. "Farmington has some good girls."

Perryville had several other solid opportunities in the half but trailed 2-0 at the break.

"I think we kind of let down at the end of the first half and the beginning of the second half," Sancegraw said.

The Pirates finally broke through less than four minutes into the final period when freshman Brooke Moll's innocent looking free kick from about 20 yards was mishandled by Farmington's keeper and trickled into the net.

"I thought we gained momentum after the goal," Fulton said.

Perryville threatened several times to get the tying marker but failed to convert.

Farmington added an insurance goal with a little less than 23 minutes left when freshman Montana Krause found the net on a high lofting shot from about 27 yards out.

"The girls played hard," Farmington coach Rusty Sancegraw said. "When you play Perryville, you know it'll be a physical game."

While Farmington moves on, Fulton hopes the experience his young Pirates gained this season will pay off in the future.

"We were young all year, starting four or five freshmen," Fulton said. "Hopefully the experience will help us out."