For a third straight season, Mississippi Valley Conference rivals Waterloo and Triad met Friday night with a Class 2A sectional championship on the line. 

Despite another valiant effort by the Bulldogs, Triad – winners of two straight state titles – escaped once again with the victory. 

The match was tied 1-1 after regulation and two scoreless 10-minute overtimes, so it went to penalty kicks. 

The Knights made all four of their PKs. Triad goalkeeper Tavey Duncan stopped two of three Waterloo PKs, and that was all she wrote for the Bulldogs, who finished with a record of 17-5-2.

One of those wins was over Triad back on April 4. The Knights have not lost in more than a month, however. 

Trailing 1-0, Waterloo senior Norah Gum tied the match in the 76th minute by somehow knocking it into the net through a crowd off a 65-yard free kick by senior goalie Lexi Stephens.

Friday’s sectional final was moved from Marion to Mascoutah to accommodate the metro east schools and their fans. 

Waterloo advanced to the final by virtue of a 3-0 victory over Marion last Tuesday. 

Megan Jung, a senior, scored all three of Waterloo’s goals in the win. 

Jung led the Bulldogs in scoring this season with 19 goals and 12 assists. 

Grace Pohl, a sophomore, finished with nine goals and 18 assists. 

Liv Colson, a junior, had nine goals and six assists on the season.