Lee Strikes for Three!

Gallery by Abby Diggs

MARYVILLE – Good things happen when the big stars step up in the big games.
 
Maryville's Sierra Lee rallied her team from a 1-0 deficit at intermission Wednesday night with three goals in the first 16 minutes of the second half. She assisted on a fourth goal by Madison McDonald as Maryville powered past Asbury 4-2 in the Collegiate Conference of the South Women's Soccer Tournament semifinals.
 
"We looked a little bit out of sorts in the first half, like a team that had not played in 12 or 13 days," Scots head coach Pepe Fernandez said. "But then the response from our top players was phenomenal.
 
"Sierra scoring, Maddie scoring – you had the two-time conference player of the year and last year's rookie of the year scoring our goals. And Avery Brown was just terrific all game long."
 
Brown assisted on Lee's second goal and the McDonald goal, giving the Cookeville junior five assists this season. Anabelle Procter had a second assist on Lee's second goal, while Chloe Chase earned an assist on Lee's third.
 
Asbury, which played Maryville close in a 1-0 loss just two weeks ago on this same field, took the lead in this match when Caroline Absher scored her fifth of the season against the run of play. A long through ball from Reese Bolton set up Absher to score on a 15-foot shot just inside the left post.


 
Outscore Eagles 4-1 in Second Half
After Fernandez gave his halftime pep talk, the Scots responded.
 
Lee scored her first of the night in the 49th minute when Brown drew a penalty. Lee slotted home from the spot into the right portion of the goal.
 
Just 95 seconds after her opener, Lee tallied again when Procter's through ball set up Brown racing along the right flank. Brown drove toward the net and then passed back to a wide-open Lee right in front for a 7-yard shot that found the netting.
 
Lee completed the natural hat trick after Chase's shot attempt was blocked and the ball fell right at the feet of the Gallatin sharpshooter, who did not miss from 9 yards into the right corner.
 
It looked like Avery was setting up Lee for a fourth in the 74th minute, but Lee instead passed to a streaking McDonald for a tap-in just inside the left post. That was McDonald's fifth goal of the season.


 
Highest Goals Total Since 2019
Lee has combined for eight goals over her last four matches. Earlier this year, she put together streaks of four goals in four matches and five goals in five matches.
 
Her 17 goals this season are the most by a Scot since Shannon Reagan scored 21 in 2019. And she cracked the top 10 on Maryville's all-time goals chart with 47.
 
Asbury added a penalty-kick goal in the 81st minute, but it was not enough. The Eagles concluded their debut CCS season at 8-6-5. Maryville improved to 4-0-1 all-time against Asbury.
 
Maryville compiled a 17-4 advantage in shots and a 10-0 whitewash in corner kicks. Shots on goal favored Maryville 8-3. Sydney Mahr went the route in goal, making one save.


 
Belhaven for the Title
The Scots overall are 12-2-4, with hosting duties on the docket for the CCS championship match against Belhaven this Saturday at 2 p.m. The third-seeded Blazers, now 13-5-1, defeated host Piedmont 1-0 Wednesday night.
 
Maryville knocked off Belhaven 4-1 at home in the Sept. 29 regular-season meeting. The Scots are 3-0-1 against Belhaven in their brief history since joining the CCS.
 
"We played well against them; they're a good team," Fernandez said. "Last time they were here in the playoffs, we went to penalty kicks.
 
"You always feel good that you're at home, so I expect it to be a fantastic game. Our players will be excited and up for it, and I can't wait to see them perform."