Resz lifts Fayetteville over Rogers

Fearing she missed high -- again -- Reagan Resz lay motionless on the Harmon Field turf. Several seconds later when teammates hoisted the sophomore forward to her feet, Resz realized she instead hit the game-winner during Fayetteville's 2-1 victory over Rogers High on Tuesday night. Seventy-seven seconds earlier, Resz' shot sailed high over the crossbar. That image lingered in her mind as her left-footed shot rose high above the Lady Mounties' goalkeeper. "From where I was at on the ground, I could see it go over and I didn't know if it was going to go in or not," Resz said. "It was pretty exciting." That's when teammates lifted Resz up -- for a second time. "I was so disappointed after the first shot happened," said Rezs, who missed 18 months after reconstructive surgery to repair torn ACL, MCL and meniscus in her right knee. "But my teammates were saying to just go with it and get the next one." Resz' game-winner from just outside the 18 came off a perfectly placed pass from junior Myra Tubb. It helped counter the way the Lady Bulldogs (7-2, 2-1 7A-West) played during the second half when Rogers rallied to tie it at 1-1 on a goal by Sienna Nelson off a feed from freshman Haley Arrick. Just as Fayetteville had applied pressure throughout the first half after taking a quick lead on a goal by Georgia Templeton just 72 seconds into the match, the Lady Mounties (4-4-1, 2-2) stayed on the attack throughout the first 25 minutes second half. They had five shots, including four on goal, during that span, while Fayetteville didn't get a shot off until there was less than 16 minutes remaining in regulation. "Rogers-Fayetteville is always a get-after-it match," said Fayetteville coach Joe Thoma. "I just told them to be ready to go for it because Rogers is going to come out playing hard and they did." Perhaps as crucial as Resz' goal was when Lady Bulldogs keeper Gracie Cape made a stop at the 21-minute mark of the second half. Cape, a senior, came 15 yards out of the goal to thwart a breakaway by Leslie Barrales, who split two defenders to chase down a long, high-lofted pass from Ashlyn Babbitt. "She's a game-saver type of goalkeeper," Thoma said. "I'm fine with her coming out that far because she trains hard and knows what to do in just about every circumstance. "If she sits back on her line and is passive, that girl makes it 2-1 and then you're in a big hole."

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Fayetteville High School Athletics

RESZ LIFTS FAYETTEVILLE OVER ROGERS

MIKE CAPSHAW

Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette | 3/29/2017

PHOTO CREDIT: Fayetteville High School Athletics