CADIZ — It was deja vu, unfortunately, for the St. Clairsville girls soccer team Monday night.

The fourth-seeded Red Devils (11-6-2) saw their fine season come to an abrupt end at the hands of John Glenn by a 5-0 count in an Ohio Division II, Region 7 Eastern District semifinal match on the artificial pitch at Harrison Central’s Wagner Field. The Little Muskies also claimed a 3-1 victory in 2017 on a rainy night at the same venue.

“It was a much nicer night weather-wise, but it’s never a good night when you lose,” St. Clairsville head coach Wes Stoner allowed.

John Glenn (14-4-1), the No. 2 seed, will look for its third straight trip to the regionals and fourth since 2014 when it meets third-seeded Dover Thursday night back at Wagner Field. The Tornadoes outlasted No. 6 Beaver Local Monday night, 5-4, in a shootout.

“They are a talented, well-coached team. They’ve got five seniors that will hurt them a little next year, but they’re always good,” Stoner said of John Glenn. “They’ve been good for 10 years now that I can remember. They are always ready to play and have skill everywhere. It’s tough to deal with.

“They will probably win districts and head to regionals,” he added. “They are very skilled everywhere.”

St. Clairsville only had two golden opportunities to score, the first coming in the 12th minute when Macy Malin’s free kick from 30 yards out was denied by a diving John Glenn goalkeeper Audrey Hague.

“The girl made a very nice save on Macy,” Stoner noted. “If that goes in, who knows what could’ve happened. She also made a great save on Emily Thompson’s breakaway.”

The Little Muskies scored what turned out to be the only goals they would need late in the 15th minute. Senior forward Lexie Louis one-timed a shot past St. Clairsville keeper Jaeda Nowak off a nice cross from Caroline Lee. The ball slipped between Nowak and the right post.

A tad over six minutes later, Lee dribbled the ball deep into the right corner before sending a cross that found its way through the box and onto the strong left foot of Angela Kumler. The sophomore blasted the ball into the net for a 2-0 advantage that Little Muskies took to the half.

Louis tallied her second net-finder of the match of a nifty assist from Marina Nicolozakes to make it 3-0. Cora Wilkins scored unassisted for a 4-0 reading and Kumler capped the outburst off an assist from Gabby Lemon.

“We pressed a little bit after they got the first couple of goals,” Stoner said of a switch in strategies. “Those last three goals are on me and not the girls, the defenders or the goalie. I took a defender out and put in an attacker trying to get one or two goals.

“I’m proud of the way they battled,” he said of his team that loses just one senior, Emily Vera, to graduation. “I told them even before the game that they have exceeded everybody’s expectations this year just being here.

“I’m proud of them. They did great.”

Nowak, just a junior, recorded seven saves on a dozen shots. Hague stopped all four shots she faced for her ninth shutout of the season.

GAME NOTES

∫ The only time St. Clairsville has advanced to the district finals came in 2009 when a Jaclyn Dutton-led squad defeated John Glenn in the semifinals at Philo High School in Duncan Falls.

∫ John Glenn advanced to the regional finals last year before bowing, 3-0, to Big Walnut.

GIRLS

Ohio Division II, Region 7

Eastern District Semifinal

(at Wagner Field, Cadiz)

John Glenn 5, St. Clairsville 0

JG–Goals: Louis 2, Kumler 2, Wilkins; Assists: Lee 2, Nicolozakes, Lemon; Goalkeeper: Hague (4 shots, 4 saves)

STC–Goalkeeper: Nowak (12 shots, 7 saves)