In soccer, the better team isn’t always guaranteed a win. During Washington’s NCHSAA 2-A playoff matchup with Midway on Saturday, the host rained down 22 shots in regulation, eight through four overtime periods and five in penalty kicks.

Senior goalkeeper Emily Alligood was virtually flawless, stuffing one-on-one breakaways, making acrobatic tip saves and denying four of five penalty shots at the end. But despite what head coach Ed Rodriguez called “the best game we’ve played all season,” it was the Raiders that walked off the field celebrating the win, having earned a Round 3 meeting with No. 2-seeded First Flight on Tuesday.

Of Washington’s 35 combined attempts on net, not one crossed the goal line.

And after 110 minutes of scoreless soccer, Midway’s Kimberly O’Brien was the only player to hit a penalty kick of the 10 players from both teams that took them, a testament to the extraordinary individual performances of both goalkeepers.

“It was the best team play we’ve done all year long,” Rodriguez said. “I can’t say anything against our performance because our plan was executed perfectly, we just didn’t get the shots in. I wish we could have followed some of our shots. That’s all I can say.”

No. 10-seeded Midway, which finished second in the Four County Conference only behind Clinton (19-3-1), entered with a notable 14-3 record and on a five-game win streak.

In a game that last over two hours, senior goalie Samantha Jackson was the difference, notching eight saves in regulation and five through four overtime sessions — two 10 minute periods following by two five-minute golden periods.

Washington, the No. 7 seed, tried to play the wings on offense, shooting balls toward the flag in hopes of working crosses inside the box. Sophomore midfielder Sydney Edwards was the catalyst behind that game plan, blocking long passes up field, picking midfielders pockets and dribbling through defenders to create prime scoring opportunities — there were plenty.

Defensively for the Pam Pack, the plan was to contain Midway’s top scorer, lone striker Manasia Cobb, and keep her from getting behind the back line. Seniors Anna McLawhorn and Ruby Perez executed the game plan to near perfection, limiting Cobb to just three shots all night, though the junior forward almost won the game in the final seconds of regulation.

With time ticking down in the second half, Cobb, for the first and only time in 110 minutes, got past McLawhorn on the outside and opened up about 20 yards of space between McLawhorn and Perez. Alligood rushed Cobb, who toed a shot that nicked off Alligood and caromed off the post. But with so much space, Cobb was able to get the rebound, but freshman defender Anna Frisbie made the defensive play of the game, spiriting 30 yards down the sideline, shuffling the ball wide and saving what would have been the game-winning goal.

“They didn’t have much in terms of offense except when we miscued on the striker,” Rodriguez said. “We had many chances, but the goalie did a great job saving a lot of our shot.”

After what was a split first 40 minutes, Washington utterly dominated possession in the second half, as five of Jackson’s eight saves in regulation required a slide, tip or dive. That dominance carried over into overtime, where the Pam Pack outshot the visitors, 8-3. Still, nothing could get past Jackson or Alligood.

Senior warner Little finished with eight shots, while leading scoring, senior Caitlyn Scott, notched a game-high nine shots.

In penalty kicks, Washington missed all five attempts — the first shot off the crossbar, the next two saved by Jackson and the final two redirecting off the right post.

Midway’s first two attempts were saved by Alligood, but O’Brien’s third attempt found the back of the net, though Alligood guessed the right direction and came inches from the save. The senior keeper saved the fourth shot and the fifth shot, taken by Jackson, hit the right post. But having been outshot 1-0, it was Midway that left Washington with the win.

“I don’t want to lose, but I’m not that upset because we played well,” Rodriguez said. “We were the better team and we outplayed them. You can’t be upset about that. We had a good season.”

Washington closes the season 15-6 (8-0 Eastern Plains) and will graduate six seniors next month — Alligood, McLawhorn, Perez, Scott, Little and Neftali Torres.