Poplar Bluff's Hailey Foust (18) and Jackson's Bobbi Jo Schlick, right, leap for a corner kick during the first half Thursday at Whiteley Park. Poplar Bluff goalie Meagan Stucker is at left. (Brian Rosener/DAR)

By BRIAN ROSENER ~ Sports Editor

Kasey Crowden did her best impression of David Beckham -- if Becks was left-footed -- to beat the Poplar Bluff Lady Mules.

The Jackson midfielder scored from a corner kick in the 28th minute Thursday night at Whiteley Park to give the Lady Indians a 1-0 win.

Poplar Bluff's Chelsea Garner (4) dribbles in front of Jackson's Jenni Tenholder on Thursday. (Brian Rosener/DAR) [Click to enlarge]

"Overall, a great performance in a loss," Lady Mules coach Mark Papp said. "Never happy with a loss, frustrated as heck because I think we had two quality chances that we could have done better with, but I thought we defended extremely well."

The Lady Mules had Jackson covered on the game-winning goal, but a pass turned into a shot as it bent back Beckham style.

Crowden's corner volley sailed untouched into the net over the outstretched arms of Poplar Bluff keeper Meagan Stucker and between defenders Hailey Foust and Jasmin Sumrall covering the two posts.

Stucker made nine saves as Poplar Bluff (3-4) held an opponent to just one goal for the fifth time this season and the second time in three days. The Lady Mules goals-against average (1.86) is the lowest in Papp's six years as head coach.

"We defended as a defense as opposed to a bunch of defenders," Papp said. "(That) sounds pretty similar, but we worked as four backs combined to be a defense instead of a bunch of individual defenders."

The defense was tested for much of Thursday night as Jackson took advantage of Poplar Bluff's depleted and drained midfield.

Senior midfielder Morgan Allen did not play after suffering an ankle injury late in the first half Tuesday night while Charlotte Garcia, Hailey Foust, Katie Godwin and Allie Pattillo all played with various injures and ailments, Papp said.

"It was really difficult because we had to switch around our whole gameplan with Morgan being out," said freshman Miranda Burroughs, who started in Allen's place. "People have to fill shoes and everybody's willing too."

Notre Dame, the fifth-ranked team in Class 1, beat Poplar Bluff 1-0 Tuesday before Jackson, the defending Class 2 District 1 champion, left town with a 1-0 win.

Jackson (10-1) beat the Lady Mules 4-0 earlier this month.

"That just motivates us to push harder and harder for the next time we play them," Burroughs said.

Trailing 1-0, the Lady Mules got their first good scoring attack in the 30th minute when Alex West got a steal near midfield and fed Allie Thomas on the right flank. Thomas put leading scorer Chelsea Garner on a break through the middle but the senior got the ball caught up in her stride and allowing defender Chelsea Dale to turn the attack away before Garner could get off a shot.

Poplar Bluff also got a free kick in the closing minute of the first half but Jackson goalie Morgan Riddick scooped it up before Garner could reach the pass.

In the 65th minute, Poplar Bluff countered following a corner kick by the Lady Indians that West headed out of the box.

After working the ball into Jackson's half, Garner crossed a pass from the right side. Jenni Hubbard, a sophomore reserve who has two goals this season, couldn't get off a shot before dropping a pass back to Jackie LeGrand. Hubbard got open 12 yards in front of the goal and got off a shot off LeGrand's pass, forcing a waist-high save by Riddick.

For the most part, however, Jackson kept the Lady Mules from putting together passes and making organized attacks.

"I think they do a very good job of getting immediate pressure to the ball, which is one of the most basic principals of defending," Papp said. "When you get pressure to the ball, it makes it difficult for teams to settle the ball and connect passes."

Poplar Bluff's defense caught Jackson offside three times and the Lady Mules defenders and keeper made big plays all night.

Godwin blocked a shot by senior midfielder Emily Dietl in the third minute off a corner and Moore headed out a dangerous cross in the 10th minute. Stucker made saves on a pair of long shots midway through the first half and cut down the angle on Bobbi Jo Schlick's breakaway in the 68th minute, forcing a wide shot.

"I thought we were pretty organized and tracked their weak-side wings," Papp said. "That's how they beat us last time."

Jackson won the junior varsity game 2-0.

BASEBALL

Jackson 9, Poplar Bluff 0

Chad Scroggins pitched a fourhit shutout to lead the Indians past the Mules in a conference game Thursday.

Cameron Pickard, Donnie Magruder, Todd Bullington, and Taylor Boles each had hits for the Mules (3-5, 2-3 SEMO).

Scroggins struck out eight and walked three.

Andy Winkleblack, Blake Reiminger and Ryan Cheney each had multiple hits for the Indians (4-9, 3-2).