Poplar Bluff players, from left, Morgan Allen, Katie Godwin, Chelsea Garner, Andi Lampe and Jackie LeGrand celebrate Thursday night at Whiteley Park after winning a shootout 3-1 against Farmington. (Brian Rosener/DAR) [Click to enlarge]

By BRIAN ROSENER ~ DAR Sports Editor

Chelsea Garner lined for a penalty kick for a second up time Thursday night in a tied game with Farmington with a shot at history.

Her first shot didn't so go well -- digging her cleat into the ground before making contact with the ball pushed the shot wide left -- but the senior found the back of the net when the Lady Mules needed it most.

"I wanted to give her the first shot at redemption there," Poplar Bluff coach Mark Papp said of having Garner start off the PKs as the two teams played to a 1-1 tie after 100 minutes. "It's important, especially with our keeper making the first save."

The senior forward tied the game with 10 minutes left in regulation, breaking the team record for goals in a season, after missing a first-half penalty kick. Garner's goal followed Meagan Stucker's chest-high save and the Lady Mules won the shootout 3-1.

"She did a really good job," Garner said of her keeper. "Meagan always keeps us in the game."

Poplar Bluff senior Jackie LeGrand and freshman Katie Godwin followed Garner with goals in the shootout. The Knightettes missed two shots high in the second and fourth rounds after letting a 1-0 lead slip away with 10 minutes left in regulation.

The win allowed the Lady Mules (9-6) to tie the program record for wins in a season on a night when the five seniors were honored before the

"It's real nice," Garner said. "Every year we've tried to get 10 wins."

Farmington (10-8) managed just two shots on goal in the first half but the Knightettes took the lead in the 30th minute when Heather Lewis' pass up the middle put Emily Mell on a break. Mell's shot past a diving Stucker spun inside the left post for a 1-0 lead.

The rest of regulation was nearly all Poplar Bluff but the Lady Mules were almost shutout for the sixth time this season.

Garner missed a penalty kick in the 10th minute after she was tackled in the box and she had a shot stopped with a chesthigh save in the 24th minute. LeGrand was also stopped two minutes later.

LeGrand and Garner nearly hooked up for a goal in the 54th minute when Garner beat her defender to the goal line on the right side and sent a cross in front of the net. LeGrand missed the redirect by inches as she slid into the goal and Farmington was able to clear.

Alex West and Allie Pattillo also created attacks on the wings but crosses never connected shots went wide or Farmington was able to recover.

"I thought we did a good a very good job of combing and getting in behind their defense," Papp said. "It's just that one extra that should have been a shot pass or … that last that we could have put somebody pass in and we missed it."

Down 1-0 with 11 minutes left in the second half, Miranda Burroughs sent in Poplar Bluff's corner and Breanna Moore was able to head it onto goal. Farmington goalie Alexis Gordon made the stop and a clearing attempt bounced to Garner near the 18-yard line in front. The senior was able to shake a defender for a shot to tie the game.

Garner said she took too many touches for most of the game instead of shooting. Papp said he stressed at halftime not to look for a perfect shot.

"The majority of goals are what a lot of people consider garbage goals but they don't count any less on the scoreboard," Papp said.

While the offense managed just one goal -- the Lady Mules have been held to a goal or less in seven games -- the defense held an opponent to a goal or less for the 12th time this season. Poplar Bluff's goals-against averaged dropped to 1.20, the best in the last eight years.

In the second 10-minute overtime period, Farmington's Lewis put a shot on goal off a corner that Stucker got a piece of but couldn't stop. Hailey Foust, covering the right post managed to get a foot on the ball inches in front of the goal line and the bounce went to Godwin near the other post. The freshman, however, couldn't clear the box but Burroughs got it away before Lewis could pounce on the loose ball.

"I think that's very important on two levels," Papp said. "One is it denied a goal. Two is that's a mistake we've made in the past that cost us a goal. The fact that we learned from it and it saved the game is very important."

Before the game, seniors Garner, LeGrand, Morgan Allen, Charlotte Garcia and Brittany Slayton were honored.

"We've got a good group of seniors that they love the game, they work hard," Papp said. "I thought they showed a lot of character tonight.

"They've been a fun group to coach."