The Greenwood girls’ soccer team used a strong second half to take down Bowling Green 3-0 on Thursday at Drakes Creek Middle School.

Greenwood (10-1-1 overall, 4-0 District 14) scored all three goals in the second half, two in a three-minute span, to break free and secure the top seed in next month’s District 14 Tournament.

“I think we started rough in the first half,” Greenwood senior midfielder Anna Haddock said. “This game is really big. It’s always super intense. We have a lot of girls who haven’t played in this game, so I think the first half was about getting our jitters out and kind of getting a feel for the game.”

In a rematch of last year’s Region 4 title game, which the Lady Gators won 1-0, both teams had chances in an even first half – with the defenses standing tall.

The teams combined for three shots on goal in the first five minutes. Bowling Green (6-8, 3-1) tried to score on a loose ball in the box after a free kick in the eighth minute, but Greenwood was able to clear it.

Three minutes later, Rebekah Dickinson found Sarah Wiles free in the box, but her shot went wide.

Bowling Green finished with four shots on goal in the first half, while Greenwood had six.

The Lady Gators started to come to life early in the second half, nearly scoring when Haddock passed to Anna Drexel, but Drexel’s shot went wide right in the 41st minute.

Three minutes later, the Lady Gators broke through when Annabel Justice’s corner kick deflected off BG keeper Caroline Miller.

“Her corners have been awesome all year and that one was just perfect,” Haddock said. “The goalie did all that she could with that. Luckily, we were able to get one in our favor. I think that really gave us the push we needed.”

Haddock made it 2-0 in the 47th minute on a pass from Wiles that allowed the senior to break free in the box for her 24th goal of the season.

The players changed places for the final goal in the 71st minute, with Wiles scoring on a pass from Haddock to cap the scoring.

“We just treated this game like any other game,” Greenwood coach Zac Lechler said. “I think the first half we weren’t really playing our style. We came out hard in the second half and I think immediately after the goal it built up momentum and we just carried it through.”

Greenwood outshot the Lady Purples 25-11, with a 13-6 advantage in shots on goal. Miller had seven saves for Bowling Green, while Elizabeth DeMarse had five saves for the Lady Gators.

“The corner was tough and then (we) lost it off the dribble in the middle and Haddock is going to make you pay,” BG coach Lisa Correa said. “If we erase those mistakes, who knows where it’s going to be. I like the way the team played in the first half. If we limit some of those mistakes and maybe try to get a few more opportunities in the attack it would have been a different story.”

Greenwood will host Castle (Newburgh) Ind., at 7 p.m. Friday. Bowling Green plays at Owensboro Catholic at 7 p.m. Tuesday.{&end}