INDIANAPOLIS – Hillary Knippenberg was admittedly out of position, but her heart rate never once elevated.
Instead, the Lawrenceburg Tigers senior goalkeeper acted on instinct with the Class 2A girls’ soccer state championship on the line Saturday afternoon.
Knippenberg’s stoic net composure came in handy with the No. 2 Tigers (21-1) locked in a penalty-kick shootout with No. 3 Mishawaka Marian (16-4-2) at Michael Carroll Track & Soccer Complex on the campus of IU Indianapolis.
Defending a one-goal PK lead, Knippenberg tipped one head-on save and leg kicked another she nearly slid away from for back-to-back defenses to preserve the advantage.
Senior Preslee Rugg put the game away with a dagger goal and a 4-1 PK victory after 94-scoreless minutes en route to Lawrenceburg’s first-ever girls soccer state championship.
“For the program, it’s huge. They’ve worked so hard, especially these seniors, these past few years. We got knocked out in the regional the past two years before this year, and it’s been a long time coming for them,” Lawrenceburg coach Bill Offutt said. “They knew they had the talent to get past that regional game and move on, so it’s nice to finally get that for them.”
The Tigers eliminated a pair of ranked teams to reach their second state finals in program history and first since 2016 in Class 1A.
A 2-1 win over No. 8 Evansville Mater Dei in the Heritage Hills Regional final helped the Tigers clear a hurdle the 10-time sectional champions had struggled with three of the past five years.
Lawrenceburg’s first regional title since 2016 led to a meeting with No. 9 Brebeuf Jesuit at the Martinsville Semi-State, which the Tigers won 1-0.
Lawrenceburg outscored its postseason foes 14-2 with three shut-out wins prior to facing the Knights. The Tigers posted 15 shutouts this year, including 10 straight at one point during the regular season with only one loss.
Since falling, 2-1, to Harrison on Oct.1 to end their regular season, the Tigers won five straight to snap their eight-year state finals appearance drought.
“The mentality of the girls here are they can play with anybody. Did the loss hurt us, no, but if we would have won, I don’t think it would have made much difference,” Offutt said.
“They were ready. They’ve been ready since June.”
The Tigers’ patience was tested by the Knights, had outscored their postseason foes 20-2 with a trio of shutout victories entering the state finals.
The Knights recorded 11 shutouts this season with eight during the regular season.
Mishawaka Marian’s route to its first state finals appearance since 2012 and fourth overall involved a massive test from the first stage.
The Knights opened their own sectional with an 8-0 semifinal win over Glenn before battling to a 2-1 upset victory over top-ranked South Bend Saint Joseph in the finals.
Mishawaka Marian ran through their own regional with a pair of clean sheets, including against No. 18 Bellmont, 4-0, in the finals before surviving a penalty-kick, tug-of-war, 1-1 (4-2), against No. 12 Hanover Central at the South Bend Saint Joseph Semi-State.
Their semi-state PK win seemingly gave the Knights an advantage as the state finals reached a shootout despite a combined 34 shots and nine shots on goal fired by the two dueling programs.
Mishawaka Marian attempted to strike in the second half after a four-shot first, and the Knights nearly jumped ahead with two goals waved off due to offsides.
Their best scoring chance in regulation came in the 43rd minute as senior Daisy Moody slipped a pass to senior Quinn Pankiewicz on an attack, but the potential go-ahead goal was erased. A pass from Pankiewicz to sophomore Kendall Bradley in the 63rd minute for a goal was nullified by an offside call.
“I’m so proud of them. They battled hard. What a great experience. An emotional roller coaster, I thought we had that goal, and we feel we were likely onside, but that’s part of life. Overcoming that adversity,” Mishawaka Marian coach Henry Vu said.
“It’s frustrating, but we had to refocus. We talk about overcoming adversity, and we got a little unlucky with that call, but it’s part of soccer. Sometimes people are human and make mistakes, but it looked like Quinn was onside, but that’s life.”
In 2021, Mishawaka Marian made its first 2A state finals appearance since winning it all in 2012 as a Class 1A program.
However, the Knights lost in overtime, 1-0, against Evansville Memorial, still leaving them in search of their first 2A title. In 2011, Mishawaka Marian were Class 1A state runner-up in the program’s first-ever state appearance.
“Today, we didn’t get the finishes and didn’t get the saves. PKs are sort of like a coin flip, and we’ve lost some and we’ve won some,” Vu said. “It’s just part of the process.”
The Knights tied the shootout 1-1 with Moody matching Lawrenceburg senior Morgan Manford’s initial goal.
Alivia Bushman, a senior, gave the Tigers a 2-1 lead before Knippenberg stepped up with a front-facing save against Bradley. A PK goal by junior Mylee McAdams put the Tigers in control 3-1.
From there, Knippenberg’s ability to react in the moment proved the difference against Knights’ senior JoJo Murphy.
“Lucky for us, we had a chance to watch Marian’s (semi-state) game against Hanover Central, so we had an idea of which way their kickers may go,” Offutt said. “We wanted her to go to her right, the kicker’s left, and when it went down the middle, I just kind of dropped my head, but then she made that save which was absolutely fabulous.”
As Knippenberg shifted and dropped on Murphy’s attempt, a quick leg saved the Tigers’ 3-1 PK margin. Knippenberg had five saves overall.
“Honestly, it was super unintentional. I was just diving, and I got lucky enough to hit it with my leg,” Knippenberg said. “It’s honestly very nerve-racking, and I just choose a side, and hopefully, that’s the side they go, and I save it.”
Once Rugg saw Knippenberg’s accidental heroics, she knew what needed to be done.
“We have a lot of trust in Hillary. She’s great, so I’m honestly so happy how it turned out,” Rugg said. “I was like, if I win this, then I know we did it. I knew we had it, and it’s even better being my senior year. It feels absolutely amazing.”
Class 2A State Championship Records
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Lawrenceburg’s Kelsey Offutt earns Wynns Mental Attitude Award
Following the match, Kelsey Offutt of Lawrenceburg High School was named the recipient of the Theresia Wynns Mental Attitude Award.
Kelsey is currently ranked third in her senior class, is an Academic Medallion recipient, and is a member of the National Honor Society, Key Club, and Big Brothers Big Sisters Leadership Team. She has received Academic All-State honors for Soccer and Tennis.
Kelsey is a four-year varisty letter winner, a two time All-Conference player, and served as Team Captain this season.
The daughter of Bill and Joy Offutt of Lawrenceburg, Indiana, Kelsey intends to study Nursing at the University of Cincinnati.
The award is annually presented to a senior, who is nominated by her principal and coach, and has demonstrated excellence in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership, and athletic ability during her four years of high school. The award is named in honor of Theresia Wynns, who served as an IHSAA assistant commissioner from 1997-2012 and administered the sports of girls and boys soccer as well as the licensing of over 8,000 officials in the state of Indiana.
Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, a proud corporate partner of the IHSAA, presented a $1,000 scholarship to the general scholarship fund at Lawrenceburg High School in the name of Kelsey Offutt.
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