For only the second time in the program’s history the Rolla High School girls’ soccer team captured its division in the rugged Quincy Notre Dame Tournament, held Friday and Saturday.

It was a solid bounce-back for the Lady Bulldogs, who have suffered a series of 1-0 losses in recent days. Rolla improves its overall mark to 11-6-3.

“This was a great weekend for us,” said RHS head coach Mike Howard. “We really had been struggling the last couple of weeks. We played some of the best soccer we've played all season (over the weekend).”

On Friday Rolla defeated Sacred Heart Griffin from Springfield, Ill. 3-2. Olivia Cox scored a goal, assisted by Jaclyn Standfast, to give RHS the lead. It was 1-1 at halftime. Rolla tallied the final two goals in the second half. Cox scored off a Kim Carter serve and Standfast scored unassisted.
Sacred Heart scored with 15 minutes remaining to make the final score.

Saturday morning Rolla topped Galesburg, Ill. 4-0, taking a 3-0 halftime advantage. Cox, Ashlee Rightnowar, Ashley Kerr and Kaylyn Stoll all scored goals for RHS. Cox, Standfast and Kerr recorded assists.

Saturday afternoon Rolla faced University High of Normal, Ill. in what proved to be the championship game of its division. University High had beaten Columbia Rock Bridge 5-3 and Sacred Heart Griffin 3-1 earlier in the tourney.

Rolla and University High played to a 2-2 tie. Rolla won the title on a tie-breaker, with its shutout of Galesburg being the deciding factor.

Cox converted a penalty kick to give Rolla a 1-0 edge. U-High scored a few minutes later. Taylor Banholzer scored on a corner kick off a Carter pass to give the Lady Bulldogs a 2-1 halftime lead. U-High tied the game with seven minutes remaining.

“We got back into the form we played earlier in the year,” Howard said. “University High was a very dangerous team. And a 2-2 tie was a great result for us.”

Tonight Rolla is to host Sullivan in a varsity-only contest on Kiwanis Field at the Bray Sports Complex, starting at 5 p.m. It will be Senior Night for the Lady Bulldogs.