WM wins on late rally

WM wins on late rally

WM School District In her first year playing soccer, Takiyah Wesley has been a fast learn. Wesley scored the winning goal and assisted the other for West Memphis on Monday at Hamilton-Shultz Field in a 2-1 victory over Marion.

Wesley found herself in scoring position after a mad scramble for the ball near the Marion goal. She could have given up on the play, but Wesley stayed with it.

'I really don't like losing,' Wesley said with a smile. 'I was just in that mode you get into when you're determined to win. I wasn't going to give in.'

Marion (2-8) held a 1-0 lead for 42 minutes on a goal by Esmaralda Lara.

'At halftime we all thought we needed to calm down and go out and play our game,' said West Memphis assistant Marissa Selden. 'Takiya did what we always tell our girls to do when the goalie gets out of position.' The Lady Devils (4-2) had 16 shots on goal to Marion's 10 and the defense was led by junior Rileigh Smith's 10 saves at goalie.

West Memphis senior Robin Pulliam broke the scoring drought for her team when Wesley assisted on her goal at the 27:40 mark of the second half.

'That was the play that gave us momentum,' Selden said.

Pulliam was quick to give teammates credit for her goal.

'If it wasn't for T.K. and Paige (Bowser) that goal wouldn't have happened,' she said. 'The ball bounced off them and came straight to me. All I had to do was kick it.'

Wesley's game-winner came at the 10:40 mark of the second half.

Pulliam, Tabetha Troxler and Bowser all led the Lady Devils with four shots on goal apiece.

By Billy Woods