Poplar Bluff's Alex West, center, and goalie Meagan Stucker, second from right, try to break up a corner kick for Notre Dame's Lacy Boeller (20) during the first half Tuesday at Whiteley Park. (Brian Rosener/DAR)

By BRIAN ROSENER ~ DAR Sports Editor

As the Poplar Bluff Lady Mules stretched before their game Tuesday night, they were attacked by a mob of junior varsity teammates brandishing foam weapons.

The surprise attack -- less brutal than a pillow fight -- had a message.

Poplar Bluff's Charlotte Garcia dribbles past Notre Dame's Courtney Luehmann during the first half Tuesday. (Brian Rosener/DAR) [Click to enlarge]

"I told them I wanted Notre Dame to feel (the same way)," Poplar Bluff coach Mark Papp said. "I wanted them to not know what hit them."

Having given up the first goal in all but one of their previous five games, the Lady Mules played to a scoreless tie in the first half before giving up a goal in the 50th minute for a 1-0 loss.

"I thought we came out strong," Papp added. "We could have come out stronger but it was probably the best start we've had all year."

At Whiteley Park, Taylor Sanders scored 10 minutes into the second half after the Lady Mules had turned away Notre Dame's corner. Breanna Moore headed the volley out of the box, but Notre Dame caught the Lady Mules trying to push ahead too quickly and Sanders was able to redirect Paige Schumer's high cross from the right flank into the net.

"That was one of our major mistakes and they made us pay for it," Papp said.

Ranked fifth in the Class 1 coaches' poll, Notre Dame (8-0) won the previous meeting with Poplar Bluff 4-1.

The Lady Mules (3-3) had chances to strike first but they were limited by Notre Dame's ability to keep possession of the ball. Shelley Frank earned the shutout in goal for the Lady Bulldogs as Poplar Bluff was held scoreless for just the second time this season.

"They found themselves ball-side a lot so part of that was our fault not checking to the ball and the other part was they were organized defensively," Papp said. "They put immediate pressue to the ball which is something that we didn't do all the time."

Poplar Bluff's Chelsea Garner got an attack started in the fourth minute but Alex West's pass was just ahead of Jackie LeGrand and into the arms of Frank.

Notre Dame countered with a run up the left side leading to Mindy Siebert's shot that goalie Meagan Stucker stopped. The rebound was cleared out of bounds off a Notre Dame player by Charlotte Garcia before the Lady Bulldogs could get off another shot on an net.

Neither team had open a better scoring chance over the next 10 minutes until Notre Dame's corner midway through the first half.

West got her head on the ball in front of Notre Dame's Lacy Boeller, then cleared it with her foot as another Lady Bulldog ran in from the backside.

Poplar Bluff's best scoring chance of the first half came in the 34th minute after Miranda Burroughs stole a goal kick at midfield. Garner and LeGrand worked their inside the 18-yard line and way West got off a shot from the right side. Frank made the save but the rebound trickled from the Notre Dame senior away toward the goal line before she was able to pounce on it.

Frank later stopped a 30-yard free kick by Burroughs with a chest-high save and the teams went into the half tied 0-0.

"We're getting chances," Papp said. "We're hopefully going to start finishing those as the season goes on."

In the final minute of the game, Burroughs and Allie Pattillo started a run the right side and Garner ended up up alone to the left of the goal. Her shot however was wide of the near post.

Poplar Bluff's scoring chances were fewer in the second half but the defense turned away Notre Dame's organized attacks.

Katie Godwin blocked a shot in the 42nd minute, Breanna Moore headed out a cross in the 59th minute and the Bulldogs missed a well-defended free kick eight minutes later.

"I didn't want to just drop in and defend with 11 in the box but I wanted them to have trouble playing through the middle," Papp said. "I wanted them to play compact and I thought we did well in that respect."

Notes: Notre Dame won the junior varsity game 1-0 on a first-half goal as Poplar Bluff goalie Courtney Knuckles made nine saves. … An injury late in the first half to midfielder Morgan Allen took the Lady Mules out of their normal rotation, and Papp said he could see his team wear down in the second half. … The Lady Mules host Jackson on Thursday after losing to the defending district champs 4-0 in the first meeting April 5.