Big Red’s Lucy Saccoccia and Tri-Valley’s Caydee Shoenleben pursue the ball while Scotties’ goalie Klara Drummonds looks make a stop during Monday’s district semifinal. - Andrew Grimm

That unfortunately was the case for the Big Red girls soccer team on Monday.

Visiting Tri-Valley used a nine save performance in goal from freshman keeper Klara Drummonds and took advantage of its opportunities the other way to take a 3-0 victory over Big Red in the Division III East District semifinals at Harding Stadium.

“It’s tough to have the season come to an end,” Big Red head coach Annie Cutri said. “I thought the girls played really well, I felt like we dominated that game, we just could not find a way to get the ball into the back of the net. Their goalie had a heck-of-a game, she made a lot of big saves and we could not find a way to get anything by her.”

Big Red, which was the No. 2 seed, finishes its season with a stellar mark of 13-3-2. Tri-Valley, the No. 4 seed, improved to 9-6-2.

Big Red’s Brynn Bowers jumps to get her head on a corner kick in front of Tri-Valley’s Maddie Garber on Monday. - Andrew Grimm

“I thought that was one of the better games of soccer we played this season, unfortunately the score just did not reflect it,” Cutri said. “That’s what can happen in the tournament sometimes. I’m proud of the girls, they played really hard. It’s an unlucky way for it to end.”

Steubenville averaged nearly six goals per game entering the contest, but just could not find a way to solve Drummonds and could not buy a bounce.

With her team up 1-0 late in the first half, Drummonds — who came into the match up having stopped 80 percent of the shots she faced this season — denied a header off a corner kick with a spectacular save, and made two saves on Big Red’s all-time leading scorer Bailee Beall in the first couple of minutes of the second half.

After that, the Scotties went the other way and took advantage of a lucky bounce and a penalty kick in a span of 1:15 to go up 3-0 with just under 30 minutes to play.

Big Red kept pushing, but just could not find a way to get on the board.

Big Red’s Jolee Lombardo tries to get past Tri-Valley’s Kandice Spry to attempt a shot. - Andrew Grimm

“After that third goal on the PK, a call that did not go our way, I think it took the wind out of our sails a little bit,” Cutri said. “But, the effort was there for the full 80 minutes, these girls played their hearts out.”

SENIOR FAREWELL

Big Red will depart six seniors from the group. They are Beall, Caleigha Birden, Sadie Edwards, Isabella Fletcher, Sagan Smarrella and Ireland Marshall.

They leave the program having averaged 11 victories a season over the course of their four years with a combined record of 44-27-2.

“This was a special group of seniors that really upped the caliber of Big Red girls soccer,” Cutri said. “They are great leaders on and off the field and I’m really proud of them. The fact that we were playing a district semi here we owe to them and their leadership and the way that they led the team.

Big Red’s Sagan Smarrella puts her leg into a free kick attempt towards the goal on Monday. - Andrew Grimm

“They’re a great group of kids and we’re going to miss them a lot.”

UP NEXT

Tri-Valley will battle No. 3 seed Dover in Wednesday’s district championship game at Ridgewood. The Crimson Tornadoes upset top seed John Glenn, 2-1, on Monday in the other semifinal.

LOOKING FOR SPACE — Big Red’s Bailee Beall tries to get around Tri-Valley’s Kandice Spry during Monday’s Division III, East District semifinal match at Harding Stadium. - Andrew Grimm