Little Lady Bucs Secure Third Place With 2-1 Win Over Lincoln

Buckhannon-Upshur Little Lady Bucs close season with 11-4 record

The Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School Little Lady Bucs concluded their soccer season last week by securing a third-place finish in the Mid-Mountain 10 Conference Tournament, according to reporting by My Buckhannon. The team ended the year with an 11-4 record, marking a competitive campaign that saw the squad navigate a challenging postseason bracket in Fairmont and Grafton.

Entering the tournament as the No. 3 seed, the Little Lady Bucs opened their postseason run with a 5-1 victory over sixth-seeded Bridgeport. Buckhannon-Upshur established control early in that match, with Ali Triplett netting two goals in the first half to secure a 2-0 lead at the break. Triplett went on to complete a hat trick early in the second half, while Lucy Kelley added two goals to round out the scoring. Statistical dominance defined the match, as the Little Lady Bucs held a 17-2 advantage in shots on goal and a 4-2 edge in corner kicks.

Semifinal setback and consolation victory

The path to the championship match was blocked in the semifinals on Thursday at Grafton, where the Little Lady Bucs dropped a 1-0 decision to No. 2 East Fairmont. Despite consistent pressure, the team was unable to break through the East Fairmont defense after an early goal in the 13th minute held up for the duration of the match.

Buckhannon-Upshur rebounded on Saturday at Robert C. Byrd High School to defeat No. 4 Lincoln 2-1 in the consolation game. All three goals in the match occurred during the first half. Addi Perkins provided the early spark, scoring just four minutes into the match off a pass from Lucy Kelley. After Lincoln equalized at the 12-minute mark, Perkins struck again six minutes before halftime, assisted by Caroline Kelley, to secure the win. The Little Lady Bucs maintained a 9-4 advantage in shots on goal to close out the tournament.

Head coach John Kelley noted the effort required to reach this stage of the season.

The team looked really good against Bridgeport. I am very proud of how they played. These girls have worked really hard. It was a tough loss to East Fairmont, but these girls need to hold their heads high. The work they’ve put in is second to none, and they play good soccer.

Tournament scoring summary

Matchup	Result
Bridgeport vs. Buckhannon-Upshur	1-5
Buckhannon-Upshur vs. East Fairmont	0-1
Lincoln vs. Buckhannon-Upshur	1-2

The 11-4 finish serves as a benchmark for the program’s developmental progress this year. While the tournament run ended just shy of the championship round, the team’s ability to rebound from a defensive stalemate in the semifinals to secure a win in the consolation game highlights the consistency the squad displayed throughout the season.