The Vicksburg Missy Gators say they play better after scoring a goal, and on Saturday they did. It just came too late to save their season.

Clinton scored twice on penalty kicks, controlled the action for most of the game, and withstood a late Vicksburg flurry to take a 3-1 victory in the second round of the girls Class 5A playoffs at Memorial Stadium.

Lesly Melo, Kendal Lee and Nikki Bush each scored a goal for the Lady Arrows (17-6-2), who advanced to face Tupelo in the North State championship game on Tuesday.

&#8220We just felt like we were a strong team. We were able to put the ball down, knock it around and possess the ball pretty well today,” Clinton coach Thomas Bobo said.

The game swung on two penalty kicks awarded to the Lady Arrows.

The first, with about 10 minutes to play in the first half, came when Vicksburg keeper Megan Humphries undercut a Clinton player in the box as she tried to make a play on the ball. Humphries was called for the foul, Melo converted the penalty kick, and Clinton took a 1-0 lead into halftime.

Lee made it 2-0 with a goal just three minutes into the second half, and the Lady Arrows got another opportunity six minutes later when Vicksburg was called for a foul in the goal box. Bush scored on the penalty kick, and the Lady Arrows held a 3-0 lead.

Vicksburg finally got on the board when Lucy Matthews’ corner kick deflected off a Clinton player and into the net to cut it to 3-1 with 8 1/2 minutes to play.

The goal seemed to spark the Missy Gators. They put five shots on goal in the last 10 minutes, but couldn’t get any more past Clinton keeper Melanie Greer.

Arrows stymie Gators again, 1-0.

For the second time in as many seasons, the Clinton Arrows proved to be Vicksburg’s nemesis.

Hunter Evans knocked in a rebound on a penalty kick midway through the second half, lifting Clinton to a 1-0 victory in the second round of the boys Class 5A playoffs on Saturday.

Clinton – which beat Vicksburg in last year’s state title game – advanced to Tuesday’s North State championship game at Northwest Rankin.

Barry Prather was taken down in the box at the 22-minute mark of the second half Saturday and awarded a penalty kick, leading to Evans’ game-winner.

The foul was one in a long line of hard fouls, including a hard red card on Vicksburg that precipitated a bench-clearing skirmish late in the contest.