“It was a great game,” said Tioga assistant coach Jim Howey. “It was a beautiful day for a game, and two evenly-matched teams put on a good show.

“I would have liked a different result,” noted Howey. “But our girls played great … our defense was very good. I mean, more than 90 minute of soccer and it  was 2-1 — what more can you ask?

“I could not be more proud of these girls,” added Howey. “They left it all on the field today.”

Playing in its first-ever IAC title game, Tioga drew first blood with 24:58 remaining in the first half when 8th-grader Grace Howey, who was drawing double- and triple-coverage with leading scorer junior Sophia Haney out with a knee injury, slid a pass into the center of the box to freshman Serenity Relyea.

A few minutes later, Howey dribbled through the Groton defense, and was dragged down from behind for a penalty kick.

Senior Erica Bradley PK hit the crossbar and caromed directly back to her. She rifled the rebound past the keeper, but the goal was whistled off because the player attempting the PK cannot be the first player to touch the ball on a rebound off a post or crossbar.

“It hit the crossbar … six inches is just a matter of a quarter-inch off your foot,” said Howey. “Just a little bad luck.”

Tioga controlled the majority of action in the first half, and senior keeper Taliah Speer only faced one shot that challenged her.

The second half was a different story.

Speer was forced to make a save as she went to ground on a shot that was headed to the far post in the first 90 seconds.

About a minute later, Groton’s Erica Miranda beat a Tioga defender to a loose ball on the end line, turned toward the box, and fired a pass across the goal mouth, where it was punched in by Remy Marshall to tie the score at 1-1.

The RedHawks controlled the action and created several good scoring opportunities, but Speer and the Tioga defense were up to the challenge.

The tide turned with 4 minutes remaining in regulation, and the Tigers had a pair of good scoring chances, but Groton keeper Stella Holl made nice saves on both shots.

In overtime, Tioga made the first run down the field, but a shot sailed wide of the net.

Groton answered with a run that resulted in a shot that Speer made a diving stop on.

Moments later, Groton’s Devyn Blaze ended up with the ball on the endline, and crossed a ball across the goal mouth, where Bailey Vliet was able to body it past goal line for the game-winner with 7:34 remaining in overtime.

Groton had a 16-11 advantage in shots-on-goal, and a 4-2 edge in corner kicks.

Speer recorded 10 saves in net for the Tigers.

Tioga (9-5-1), the seventh seed in the Section IV, Class C playoffs, hosts 10th-seeded Unadilla Valley Tuesday in the opening round. 

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IN PHOTO 1: Tioga’s Serenity Relyea. IN TOP PHOTO: Tioga’s Grace Howey. … PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.