The Dripping Springs High School Lady Tiger soccer team advanced to the UIL 6A Division II state semifinals on Tuesday, March 31, after defeating Austin Vandegrift in a dramatic 6-5 penalty shootout at Birkelbach Field in Georgetown.
Dripping Springs struck first in the 31st minute when freshman Juanita Diaz Fajardo wrestled the ball away from the Vandegrift defense and finished from 10 yards out to give the Lady Tigers a 1-0 lead.
The Lady Tigers controlled much of the match, but Vandegrift broke through with just 23 seconds remaining in regulation to equalize and force overtime.
After two scoreless overtime periods, the match was decided in penalty kicks. In a back-and-forth shootout, sophomore goalkeeper Annabelle Pittman sealed a victory for the Lady Tigers by stopping a Vandegrift attempt to send Dripping Springs to the state semifinals.
Dripping Springs will face Humble Kingwood in the state semifinals on Friday, April 3, at 5:00 p.m. at Merrill Green Stadium in Bryan. Tickets are available here.
The Lady Tigers advance to the state semifinals for the fourth time in program history and for the first time since winning the UIL 5A State Championship in 2021. The victory also marks the program’s 10th 20-win season, with Dripping Springs now holding a 20-1-4 record.
Offensively, sophomore Bailey Stephenson leads the team with 21 goals, 14 assists, and 56 points. Senior Lily Ruff has added eight goals, while six players have recorded at least four goals this season. Defensively, the Lady Tigers have been dominant, allowing just 11 goals and recording 17 shutouts.
The winner of Friday’s semifinal will face either Southlake Carroll or Forney in the UIL 6A Division II State Championship on Saturday, April 11, at 4:00 p.m. at Birkelbach Field in Georgetown.