By Cort Reynolds

BLUFFTON__The Bluffton High School girls soccer team lost a 2-1 heartbreaker in a rare penalty kick shootout after double overtime to visiting Ottoville in the Div. V district finals Thursday, Oct. 29 at Steinmetz Field.

The Pirate girls finish their season 9-9-2 with the marathon loss.

Ottoville improved to 13-6-1 after the road victory. They advance to the regional semifinals with the dramatic win.

The Big Green won the penalty kick shootout, 4-3. 

Ottoville’s Karlee Horstman netted their goal, while Carli Wise tallied the Pirate goal first in regulation. 

After a scoreless first half, Wise found the back of the net in the 57th minute on an assist by Samantha Rueller to give Bluffton a 1-0 lead. Horstman then tied it 1-1 with an unassisted goal in the 70th minute.

After 80 minutes of regulation play, the teams battled through 30 more minutes of two overtime periods without scoring to force the shootout.

On the second round of penalty kicks with the PKs tied 3-3, Bluffton missed the first shot. Ottoville then made their first shot to win it under the sudden-death format.

Bluffton put 11 of its 18 shots on goal. Ottoville made the most of its five shots with only two on frame. 

Bluffton keeper Maelee Miller made two saves on goal.

The Ottoville keeper was credited with 10 stops.