And they did. Howard’s looping kick from the right sideline found its way past East Ridge goaltender Erika Freiberg just 2 minutes, 23 seconds into the game for a 1-0 lead. It was the only score needed in the Ponies’ 2-0 victory that lifted Stillwater back atop the conference standings.

Stillwater, with two conference games remaining, is 4-1-1 (13 points) in the conference and 9-1-3 overall. East Ridge, playing for the third time in four days, suffered its first conference loss. The Raptors, with three conference games to play, are 4-1-0 (12 points) in conference and 9-2-1 overall.

Despite the loss, the Raptors still have a more direct path to the conference title. Stillwater needs help in the form of East Ridge losses to win the title. But the Ponies still have a chance.

“The conference is a big deal to us,” Howard said. “We’ve won it the past two years and we want to continue that streak.”

And that desire provided plenty of motivation for the Ponies, who dominated the first 20 minutes. Howard’s goal was the payoff.

“The coaches told us to take advantage of every single opportunity,” she said. “I saw an opportunity and I took it.”

Once the goal came, the Ponies’ confidence soared.

Stillwater, which has allowed just three goals all season, regularly relies on its defense to get the job done.

“We’ve told the girls all season that we’re not going to be a high-powered offensive team,” Stillwater coach Mike Huber said. “We play tough defense and (senior Evie) Kohn does a great job in goal, so that one goal was so big for us.”

Stillwater got a little insurance from freshman Maya Notch, who came off the bench not long before she found herself at the top of the circle with a wide-open shot on goal. 

“I just told myself to relax,” said Notch, whose goal was the first of her varsity career. “And I just made the kick.”

East Ridge turned the field a bit in the second half but the Raptors were unable to put the ball in the net. Coach Tim Bunnell said his team redeemed itself for starting the game “a little asleep.”

“I felt like we won the second half,” Bunnell said. “We still know we are able to play with them.”

And that — more than the win — is more important to Bunnell, who called all action leading up the section tournament “practice." 

Still, Bunnell said, the conference title remains a big deal to him and his team. East Ridge, which has earned a state tournament berth the past three years, has never won the Suburban East crown.