By Michael Adams
Austin Sports Journal

GEORGETOWN – The Wimberley Lady Texans fought until the end Thursday.

However, in a game that was even through 80 minutes of regulation, two 10-minute overtime periods and 14 rounds of penalty kicks, the Lady Texans (24-2-3) were on the losing end of the UIL Class 4A Division II state championship game.

Canyon Randall’s Kyleigh McHugh scored the championship-clinching penalty kick to give the Raiders a 2-2 (7-6) win over Wimberley in the Lady Texans’ first appearance in the state tournament.

“When you have a team that leaves it all on the field, with the heart, passion and intensity, that’s all you can ask for,” said Wimberley head coach Eric Nichols. “It’s disappointing to go to PKs, but that’s the heartache of this sport.”

Wimberley found itself down 2-1 early in the second half when Brooke French put a pass from Kyndal McClain by goalkeeper Sydney Laney to give the Raiders’ their first lead of the game in the 45th minute.

Lilli Sandoval gave the Lady Texans a 1-0 lead in the first seven minutes with her first of two goals in the game. Randall answered with a goal from Brooke French on an assist by the game’s most valuable player, Kyndal McClain.

Sandoval scored the game-tying goal on a pass from senior Haley Lopez in the 69th minute to tie the game for the second time.

Wimberley had a few chances late, but couldn’t break through the Raiders’ d defense and the game went into penalty kicks.

Both teams made the first five rounds of penalty kicks, then each team missed the next one and made the following one. Then Randall goalkeeper Jeni Contreras blocked Dylan Watson’s shot in the final round. Then, Kyleigh McHugh scored the championship-clinching goals.