By Cort Reynolds
FINDLAY - The Bluffton girls soccer team lost 7-0 to top-seeded Liberty-Benton in Div. III district semifinal action Monday evening at Findlay High School's Elmer Graham Stadium.
The fifth-seeded Lady Pirates finished their season 10-7-1 with the defeat. The state-ranked Lady Eagles improved to 16-1-1 with the convincing victory.
The Eagles advance to the district finals Saturday, Oct. 26 at 3 p.m. in Findlay vs. third seed Mansfield Christian. L-B is 9-0 at home this season.
The hosts netted four first half goals to take a commanding halftime lead.
Sophomore Olivia Bodie started the scoring with a goal in the seventh minute. Junior Alexis Rickenbacker put one in the right corner of the net, then added a second goal in the 27th minute. Junior Maya Rickle tallied the third score.
The Eagles tacked on three more scores following intermission. Rickle scored again with 32 minutes remaining to extend the lead to 5-0, and Liberty cruised to the win.
Mansfield Christian pulled off a minor upset of second-seeded Ashland Crestview Tuesday night at Ashland in the other semifinal, 2-1. The win prevented a district final rematch between L-B and Crestview.
An Eagle win over MC would propel them to their second straight regional soccer berth. Last year, L-B beat Ashland Crestview 2-1 in the district finals.
In 2018 Liberty then advanced to the regional finals with a 2-0 win over Pemberville Eastwood. But the Eagles lost to Archbold in the state quarterfinals, 1-0.
