Graison Holder’s (Northeast Jones) first collegiate goal 44 seconds into double overtime lifted No. 7 Jones College over No. 2 Holmes 2-1 Wednesday night at Freedom Ridge Park in the Region 23/Gulf South District semifinals.
Jones is into Friday's district final where they'll meet No. 3 Northwest at 7 p.m. for the auto qualifier into the NJCAA Division II Tournament. The Rangers beat Mississippi Gulf Coast 2-1 in the other semifinal contest.
Northwest beat Jones, 6-1, back on Oct. 21 in Ellisville, one of head coach Dolores Deasley’s worst defeats in her 18-year tenure.
The Bobcats have since responded with 3-1, 8-1, 4-1 and 2-1 (2ot) wins over Co-Lin, East Mississippi No. 13 Pearl River and No. 2 Holmes to stand one win shy of a national tournament berth.
On Wednesday night against Holmes, the home team struck first eight minutes in.
But Sofia Monico (Madison Central) hooked up with Nadia Sobel (Poland) six minutes later to knot the match at 1-1, delivering a great cross into the box where Sobel one touched it off her right foot.
Still deadlocked at 1-1 in the 77th minute, a handball on Holmes in the box set up a chance for a penalty kick and JC lead.
Sherline King’s (Panama) rifle shot hit off the top of the crossbar to keep the match tied and eventually send the match into overtime.
Scoreless through the first 10, King's shot inside the box was saved by Lilly Callum but the rebound found Holder who fought off a defender and scored for the golden goal in the 101st minute.
Jennifer Huerzeler (Switzerland) had six saves in the win and helped turn away several other Holmes attempts.
