Megan Adkins gave the Notre Dame girls' soccer team new life with a tying goal with seconds remaining in their district championship match against Chattanooga Christian on Thursday.
Courtney Boyd made sure those extra breaths didn't go to waste.
Boyd netted the winning score in penalty kicks, and the third-ranked Lady Irish claimed the 7-A/AA championship with a 4-3 win in a shootout at Finley Stadium.
With the win, Notre Dame (7-5-4) will host a semifinal match in the Region 4-A/AA tournament, against the loser of the District 8 final between fifth-ranked Central Magnet and Merrol Hyde. The sixth-ranked Lady Chargers (9-5-4) will travel to the loser.
A goal by Olivia Hoffman in Thursday's match in the 68th minute put her team in the lead -- one that seemed safe considering the Lady Irish had been limited in their dangerous opportunities.
In the final minute of regulation, Adkins ended that thought, scoring on a free kick from around the same spot that she scored her winning goal when the teams met on Sept. 23.
"I was pleased with our play in the second half. CCS outplayed us in the first," Notre Dame coach Jim Schermerhorn said. "I thought we were a little nervous in the first half, and I told the girls they needed to work harder."
After Adkins' goal, Schermerhorn's message to the girls was simple.
"I told them that's why you don't ever give up in a match," he said.
In the shootout, Madeline Robbins, Hannah Dearing, Austin Nelson and Boyd scored for the Lady Irish. CCS had successful PKs from Hoffman, Annie Reynolds and Hannah Henry.
"It was a good, hard-fought match," CCS coach Cal Sneller said. "It didn't end the way it should have in regulation, but that was a good shot.
"I thought we controlled the ball well; it's a tough way to lose."
Notre Dame goalkeeper Taylor Green finished with four saves, adding another in the shootout. Avery Boulware had three saves plus one during the penalty kicks.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.