In a rivalry matchup that came down to the final minutes, the Sunny Hills girls soccer team tied Troy High School 1-1 in their final league game of the season on Monday, Feb. 2.

“[It was] a very good game [with] two competitive teams,” said head coach William Allgeier. “Both teams had plenty of scoring chances to win the game.”

Allgeier said possession went back and forth between the Lady Lancers and the Trojans, and the game was filled with missed scoring opportunities.

“We would just have a good buildup into the middle part of the field, and then find our way into the final third of the field, where the other team’s goal is,” Allgeier said. “Everything would go well until our final finish just wasn’t there.”

Troy was leading 1-0 before the Lady Lancers responded with a goal by forward senior Kaia Tindukasiri in the second half. 

“I was super happy when I scored because I got to celebrate with my best friends,” Tindukasiri said. “I felt so loved and uplifted by my teammates and coaches, and it really reflects on how this program’s culture isn’t just about winning.”

Though the season did not end with a win, goalie senior Rachel Buchi said that she enjoyed playing with her team.

“The game ended in a tie, which was disappointing because everyone was playing their hardest, and we wanted to end the season on a win against our rivals,” Buchi said. “I am still happy that it was a close game and we enjoyed playing.”

Allgeier said he was pleased with the team’s performance after they caught up to Troy’s head start.

“I was really happy about how my team played in the second half,” Allgeier said. “Of course, we want to win every game we play in, but it was a great group effort in getting a tie away from home.”

The head coach said he prepared the team by reviewing Troy’s previous games, while simultaneously aiming for the Lady Lancers to enjoy their last league game.

“I watched some films of Troy in the past,” Allgeier said. “I also set up our practice session to help prepare us a little better against Troy, and I wanted to make sure the girls were having as much as fun as possible going into their final game.”

For Buchi, the tie was both her last soccer game and an opportunity to play in a position she normally did not.

“This game meant a lot to me because it was my last soccer game after playing for 14 years,” Buchi said. “It was also a big moment for me because I got to play on the field one last time after playing goalie for most of my senior season.”

Despite the result, Tindukasiri said the game was a strong end to the season and a memorable finish to her high school soccer journey.

“I felt that even though we didn’t win, everyone had so much fun being able to play together,” Tindukasiri said. “I don’t think the score was a true reflection of our performance, and I thought that it was a great way to end the year because we were all working our hardest and having fun together.”