As the lights were turned off at Buddy Echols Field soon after the match, the Coppell Cowgirls (18-7) walked off their home field for the last time this season after losing 3-2 in the Class 6A Region 1 area playoffs to Allen (18-2-3).

The Cowgirls, after having a delayed start due to a shootout win for Flower Mound Marcus in the match before, got out to a quick start. Junior forward Erian Brown and freshman forward Micayla Weathers both took rebounds off the defenders in the box and put it in the back to score, giving the Cowgirls the early 2-0 lead just 20 minutes into the match.

“Whenever we played within our gameplan, we played well,” Coppell coach Ryan Dunlevy said. “We controlled the game in the beginning.”

But starting into the second half, Allen began to impose their defensive will that only gave up 0.5 goals per match leading up to this match. The Cowgirls struggled to get the ball deep into Allen’s territory as the Eagles used their deep throw-ins and momentum to go ahead 3-2 with 18 minutes left in the match and kept it there.

“Once we started getting away from our gameplan, we lost control of the game and that’s where they got all of their opportunities,” Dunlevy said.

The Cowgirls scored two goals on Allen, a feat only done one other time by Plano East this season against the Lady Eagles. Yet still, Dunlevy was more worried about the overall outcome.

“We’re going to have to take away quite a bit,” Dunlevy said. “When you go up 2-0 in a playoff game, you have to finish it. So hopefully we’ll learn to finish some games.”

Allen, who will play Flower Mound in the Class 6A Region 1 Quarterfinals, played a tough match throughout with many fouls called on both sides. Dunlevy, who after some of the foul calls had his choice of words, liked the overall effort from his team.
“They played hard, they never gave up,” Dunlevy said. “They continued to fight all 80 minutes but just came up a little short.”