Decatur girls soccer bit by Lions in first round

Published 2:40 pm Monday, November 3, 2025

It was a bit of deja vu all over again for Head Coach Sean Davis as for the second year in a row, his Decatur Gators girls soccer team hosted Bellarmine in the first round of the 3A West Central District tournament. And for the second year in a row, Decatur has fallen to the same Lions.

Last season, the Gators lost in a slugfest 4-2. This year they just couldn’t find any momentum in the attacking third and were shutout 2-0 on Nov. 1 at Federal Way Memorial Field.

Decatur might not have been coming off a league title and a number two seed like last season, but the Gators still were a team to be reckoned with. Decatur finished third in the standings this season and were given the eighth seed and took on the ninth in Bellarmine.

But the Gators’ recent form has been worrisome. Just three wins in their last nine games heading into the matchup with Bellarmine was not the form that Decatur was used to last season. Those three wins came against the teams at the bottom of the standings and Decatur certainly could have used a positive result to get their swag back.

But the team that took the field was frustrated by the Bellarmine defense and couldn’t crack the code. Davis hadn’t been getting the attendance at practice he had been looking for, and possibly that could have helped Decatur down the stretch.

”It comes down to showing up at practice. We aren’t getting scored on in the run of play, but gave up six set piece goals in seven games. I tried to tell them it is life skills. I am trying to teach them not just soccer, but with your job, you gotta show up on time. That’s what it comes down to,” Davis said.

The two sides went to halftime scoreless, and now Decatur would attack into the wind, while Bellarmine had the wind at their back. The Lions used that to their advantage as both goals went over the head of goalkeeper Madison Bell.

In the 56th minute after an attempted clearance didn’t quite push Bellarmine back, Grace Lepkowski lofted a shot off the cross bar and in for the goal.

At that moment in the game, Decatur’s spirits were still high. Kaihea Tuifua and Amani Hussen were still making threatening runs, but nothing really came to fruition. Then in the 68th minute, the Lions scored a second goal. A free kick from Naomi Bland from just outside the 18-yard box was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

The wind was still howling, but the wind was taken out of Decatur’s sails.

“In the second half, it just seemed like they weren’t there. It comes down to a set piece when they score one and just not executing when we are supposed to be,” Davis said.

Defensively, the Gators did their job as they had all year. Ava Bowers and freshman Laruny Suazo didn’t give Bellarmine many open looks on goal. Rather the opposite, with one goal coming on a free kick and the other on a long lofted shot over everyone’s head.

“I thought the defense played outstanding both halves. [Laruny] our center back played outstanding and is only a freshman. I have to make sure to keep her positive and believe in herself because she is hard on herself. But she played great,” Davis said.

On the other hand, Decatur isn’t out of it. They have another opportunity in either the Thomas Jefferson Raiders or White River Hornets, both sides that Decatur had results go against them in the back half of the regular season.

Decatur will play the loser of that game on Nov. 6 at Harry E. Lang Stadium in Lakewood.