The Oakville Senior High School girls’ soccer team experienced its toughest lesson of the season last week when penalty kicks decided the Class 2 District 4 championship as the Tigers fell 1-0 to Summit.

The May 17 loss to Summit was practically an exact copy of the Tigers’ 1-0 loss to the Falcons in the district championship game May 21, 2003.

“The last time we lost to Summit, we lost in penalty kicks,” Oakville head coach Dave Robben told the Call. “The thing to learn is our philosophy that you don’t let a game go to penalty kicks. We had a couple of chances to score. We had everything in a sense to keep us in the game.”

Despite a solid effort by the Tigers’ defense, Summit’s style of play prevented Oakville’s defenders from generating a passing rhythm from the backfield.

“We just couldn’t get things started from the backfield and establish a passing rhythm,” Robben said. “Our defense really stepped up and played well. It was a total defensive team effort.”

The overtime game with Summit was the Tigers’ second game in a row that went past regulation play. The Tigers had reached the championship game of the district tournament with a dramatic 3-2 overtime win over Lindbergh.

“We had several fans say that it was a fun and exciting high school soccer game,” Robben said. “They (Lindbergh) went up first and we came back and scored. We kept hanging in the game, and in overtime we finally got the goal from Brooke (Inman).”

Inman scored the game-winning goal five minutes into overtime with senior midfielder Courtney Mask recording the assist.

Inman’s goal was her ninth of the season as the senior forward finished the year with 22 points.

“Courtney sent a low ball across the mouth of the goal and Brooke ran onto it,” Robben said. “It was a good combination play where Brooke got her foot on the ball and redirected the ball into the goal.”

Lindbergh’s Aimee Ubriaco put the Flyers on the board 1-0, but Oakville’s Megan Flecke tied the game at 1-1 later in the first half. The senior midfielder’s goal was her ninth of the season. Combined with four assists, she ended the season with 22 points.

“We tried to attack them on the win and Brooke passed the ball to Megan,” Robben said. “Megan took the shot from about 20 yards out and the keeper really didn’t have much of a chance to stop it.”

Ubriaco gave the Flyers a 2-1 advantage, but Oakville’s Courtney Mask evened the game at 2-2 with a goal in the second half. Mask, a senior midfielder, finished the year with two goals and six assists for 10 points.

Oakville will lose six seniors to graduation — Amanda Akins, Megan Flecke, Brooke Inman, Emma Kriegel, Courtney Mask and Candy Michaels.

“The one thing about our girls is that they gave it their all,” Robben said. “We played 85 minutes on Wednesday and then had to come back and play on Thursday. We knew going in that Summit had several different weapons and it was an awesome effort on our girls’ part.”