M. West Caudle Jr.
Sports Correspondent

It was billed as a clash of two of the best teams in the Northwest 1A Conference and in the 1A ranks of North Carolina women’s soccer. What it did was more than live up to that billing.

When Elkin and South Stokes stepped on the field in Grissom Stadium Tuesday night, both teams were fully aware they were going to have to fight tooth and nail, for at least the regulation 80 minutes, to be able to walk off the field victorious.

What they provided the crowd that braved a looming rain storm though, was a 100-minute slugfest ending with a 3-2 victory for the top-ranked Elks.

Entering the contest, Elkin found itself in territory no other Elkin women’s soccer team had been in its history — ranked atop the statewide coaches poll for 1A schools with a 7-0-0 record. South Stokes entered with a record of 5-1-1 overall and ranked 13th in the state, coming off an overtime loss to Bishop McGuinness last Tuesday.

From the opening possession each team felt the other one out pushing deep into opposing territory.

At the 21 minute mark Elkin struck first to take a 1-0 lead off the first of three goals that Kali Brooks would net in the game.

Taking a short feed to the center of the field from freshman Mary Tayloe, Brooks was fouled in the box just to the left of the South Stokes goal and awarded a penalty kick. Brooks beat the South goalkeeper to the right and the PK found the back of the net for the Elkin senior forward.

After exchanging possessions once again Elkin found itself on yet another scoring threat as junior Kassi Womeldorf pushed the ball deep into South’s territory before being pulled to the ground as both teams physicality came to light. After a short scrum over the ball both Womeldorf and the South defender were given yellow cards.

The 32nd minute once again had the Elks pressuring South deep into its territory. Following another beautiful clearing pass by Tayloe, the Thunder and Lightning duo of Brooks and sophomore forward Madison Spagnoletti started what would be an impressive mission that would last throughout the match. Spagnoletti took the pass and carried the ball toward the South goal before crossing to Brooks, whose shot just missed as it deflected off the left post.

South would respond though just four minutes later, in the 36th minute, as a perfectly placed shot slid over the head of Elkin keeper, Rhiannon Childress, to tie the match at 1-1.

The teams once again exchanged possessions with nothing materializing for the closing minutes of the first period and went into halftime all square at 1-1.

In the second period the Sauras seemed to come out on the offensive more but were unable to take advantage of controlling the ball for a majority of the opening minutes.

In the 52nd minute, Elkin’s Catherine Shumack and Gladys Hernandez teamed to quell a South scoring threat. Shumack cleared the ball from in front of the Elkin goal and found Spagnoletti, who once again carried the ball deep into South’s territory before having the ball deflected out of bounds.

Spagnoletti quickly tossed the ball back into play finding an open Brooks in front of the goal. Brooks made quick work of the opening, blasting a shot past the Sauras’ keeper and into the back of the net for her second goal of the contest.

McCulloch explained after the match how the duo of Brooks and Spagnoletti are like Thunder and Lightning.

“Madi is the lightning, she’s all over the field running around, playing defense and pressuring the ball toward the goal. Kali she’s the thunder, she’s fast but always in the right spot to hammer home the goal.”

Four minutes later, Shumack found herself on the offensive end of play pushing the ball deep into South’s territory before crossing the ball for a streaking Brooks; the ball had just a bit too much on it though, and the pass went begging.

McCulloch bragged on his freshman midfielder Shumack.

“Kathryn has played everywhere, she’s a smart midfielder and she came up big on defense several times for us tonight.”

Following the attempt however the Elks were once again threatening.

In the 57th minute, Spagnoletti came within feet of netting two goals. An offside call thwarted one attempt and a bullet of her right foot sailed just above the crossbar.

After the offensive outburst from the Elks, South once again went on the offensive pressuring the Elks deep into their own territory.

The Sauras were able to even the score once again in the 72nd minute as a deflection off an Elkin defender, with nasty spin and slick from the falling rain, slipped through the hands of Childress and trickled into the goal.

In the 77th minute, South would once again come within two feet of taking the lead as the ball cleared the head of a diving Childress before being cleared by Elkin’s junior defender, Diana McCulloch.

Spagnoletti once again showed her blistering speed as she carried the ball the length of the field and beating the Saura keeper; but, just like on the previous South Stokes possession, a Sauras defender cleared the ball to keep the score 2-2.

The final minutes of regulation and stoppage time featured many near misses by each team but neither was able to capitalize and the game was sent into overtime (two 10-minute periods, not sudden death).

Overtime started much like regulation ended, with both teams exchanging scoring threats.

In the 86th minute of play, South threatened with a cross over Childress’ head but the pass went begging. In the 88th minute, Spagnoletti once again took the ball and streaked down the field before hitting her partner Brooks for the hat trick — a goal that would prove the game-winner.

The Sauras would once again split scoring opportunities with the Elks but nothing ever found the net and the Sauras dropped to 5-2-1 overall and 2-2-0 in the Northwest 1A.

The Elks moved to 8-0-0 overall and 4-0-0 in the NW1A to remain atop the conference standings and the state standings.

McCulloch, after the game, had few words, stating the game pretty much spoke for itself.

He did however complement his forwards (Brooks, Spagnoletti, Tayloe and Emma White). “They played the best as a unit that they have all season, they were unselfish and able to move the ball into space and find each other for shots.”

McCulloch also pointed out that he felt his team’s fitness showed, playing 100 minutes without problem but pointed out the real test would come when the ladies in pink and blue take the field Wednesday (tonight) against 13th ranked Bishop McGuinness at Grissom Stadium at 6:30 p.m., pending the weather.