Milford’s girls soccer team won a pair of close contests to make history last week.

The Lady Eagles took down West Clermont 3-2 and Springboro 2-1 to advance to the regional quarterfinals for the first time since 2011. After back-to-back losses in the district finals in 2020 and 2021, head coach Jill Helms is happy the team was finally able to break through to the regionals this time around.

“We kept saying the third time is the charm,” Helms said. “It feels really good that we came out on the other end.”

Neither of their opponents in the district tournament made it easy on them. West Clermont actually led 1-0 at halftime before Milford tied it seven minutes into the second half.

Peyton Smith scored off a corner kick to tie the game at one. Six minutes later, Ana Manning rolled a ball into the box for Marlee Scanlon to put the Lady Eagles ahead 2-1.

West Clermont pulled back level immediately on a goal by Joy Steinmetz.

Smith struck again with less than two minutes remaining to send the Lady Eagles to the district finals.

“Our last memory of this field was a loss,” Helms said. “The girls didn’t want to go back there, we were ready to go. Winning against a team twice is so much harder, we knew we had our work cut out for us.”

West Clermont goalkeeper Jordyn Riffle made that job tougher, making several leaping saves of Milford shots. She finished the game with 10 saves overall.

“We’re used to shooting from range and we kept telling the girls, ‘Stop doing that, she’s going to save everything in the air,’” Helms said. “Eventually we figured it out.”

That win sent Milford to the district finals on Saturday, October 29 against Springboro, a team the Lady Eagles hadn’t faced yet this season.

Both teams had chances throughout the first half but neither team converted until Smith found Marlee Scanlon in the box late in the first half. Her goal in the 38th minute gave the Lady Eagles a 1-0 lead at halftime.

“We felt pretty good in the first half,” Helms said. “I wasn’t disappointed in our play at all. We had the momentum the whole time, I knew we were going to get one, it was just a matter of being patient and waiting for it.”

Milford played add-on in the second half. Ana Manning converted a penalty shot drawn by Smith to give the Lady Eagles a 2-0 lead.

Springboro cut it to one with four minutes left off a corner kick. They earned a free kick one minute later but it was caught by goalkeeper Jessie Nagle. The Lady Eagles were able to run out the clock to clinch the program’s first district title since defeating Troy 5-1 on October 27, 2011.

Nagle finished the game with six saves. Manning and Scanlon tallied goals. Smith recorded an assist.

Milford’s regional opponents are familiar ones. In addition to the Lady Eagles, Mount Notre Dame, Seton and Loveland comprise the regional bracket. Milford defeated Mount Notre Dame and Seton earlier this season. They dropped a 1-0 contest to Loveland in the regular-season finale.

The first regional tournament game was held on Tuesday, November 1 at Princeton High School. Milford faced Seton in that contest, a game that was not complete at press time.

“It’s hard to beat a team twice,” Helms said. “Playing them on turf, I think it’ll be a completely different game so it’ll be like we’re playing them for the first time.”

Should the Lady Eagles advance, they would face the winner of Mount Notre Dame and Loveland at Lakota East on Saturday, November 5 at 1 p.m.