High-Flying Lady Tigers Face Weekend Test

Schedule for the Ozark Shootout April 11-12.
Schedule for the Ozark Shootout April 11-12.

The Republic Lady Tigers put a five-game winning streak on the line when they open play in the Ozark Shootout Friday. Republic will play at 4:45 Friday against Rogers, Ark.

“(Rogers) has a good history as a program. They beat Ozark 2-1 earlier this season,” says coach Mike Hines. “It’s going to be a good match for us to particpate in.”

Lady Tigers SoccerOverall, the strength of the tournament field will be a good test for the Lady Tigers, who enter the weekend with a 6-1 record, and have been playing about as well as any Republic team has played in the program’s history.

“If you want to win championships, you’ve got to play good teams. You don’t get better if you don’t play good teams,” says Hines. “We’re cautiously optimistic about how good this team can become if everybody stays healthy.”

The Lady Tigers join seven other teams in the shootout, which brings together a strong field for a three-game weekend. Ozark, Joplin, Northwest, Central, Rogersville, and Carl Junction also compete in the tournament.

Republic has beaten its last two opponents by a combined score of 17-0. After a poor performance in a win at Mountain View Liberty, Hines says the team has stepped up.

“What I’m most proud of is we’ve tried to elevate our game instead of playing to the level of the competition,” says Hines.

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