Regional Final Preview: Lady Mustangs returns to Elite 8

One win.

That number of victories is all that separates the Lynchburg-Clay Lady Mustangs from reaching the Division III Girls Soccer State Final Four for the first time in school history.

To get that win, the Lady Mustangs must knock off the reigning Division III State Champion Hamilton Badin Rams on Saturday at 3 p.m., as the match will take place on the field of Monroe High School.

LC enters the regional final match with an overall record of 18-1-1, while their opponent has compiled a record of 17-1-1.

This matchup also is between two regular-season state-ranked teams, with LC being the No. 9 team in Division III, while Badin was the overall No. 1 team at the end of the regular season.

Badin has had a very close postseason at times, except for their first game when they defeated Southeastern (South Charleston) at 9-0, but that win was followed by a 3-2 win in overtime against Waynesville and a 3-2 win against Worthington Christian in the regional semifinals.

In an article by the Journal-News, it said the goals by Badin in their regional semifinal match were by Morgan Langhammer, Malia Berkely and an own goal. 

According to press releases issued by Badin High School, both Langhammer and Berkely have committed to play Division I soccer in college, as senior Langhammer has committed to the University of Evansville (Indiana) and sophomore Berkely has verbally committed to Florida State University. An article by the Cincinnati Enquirer reported that in August, Berkely was "ranked as the 17th-best player in the nation in her age group, according to topdrawersoccer.com."

For LC, they've not allowed a goal all postseason, as they defense has held opponents scoreless for 320 minutes this postseason in wins against Bishop Rosecrans (2-0), West Muskingum (2-0), North Adams (4-0) and Peebles (7-0).

At goal for the shutouts in the postseason have been Bailey Leininger and Sabrina Duncan, who played in the first two postseason matches in the second half.

Those games also have allowed LC to outscore their postseason opponents, 15-0. Of those 15 goals, LC has been led by Sydney Cromer with four, followed by Hannah Binkley, McKayla Binkley and Sam Pierson each with two goals.

With one goal each this postseason for LC are Morgan Fittro, Angela McLaughlin, Keanna Oaks and Lexi Waits. There was also an own goal scored for LC in the first postseason match against PHS.

Overall this season, McKayla Binkley leads LC with 16 goals, while Sam Whitenack leads LC with nine assists.