CEDAR CREEK — If Kattie Patterson scores, the Bastrop Lady Bears win.
It’s that simple.
Patterson scored three times Wednesday night and Bastrop defeated Connally 4-1 with the senior striker picking up her third hat-trick in the Lady Bears’ last six games.
Bastrop (13-5; 6-3 District 25-5A) has a 9-1 record when Patterson scores at least one goal, but is 4-4 when she doesn’t.
On Wednesday, Patterson picked on an overmatched Connally defense all night with her 10 shots on goal.
She got her 18th goal on the season in the 11th minute of the game off a rebound on a block by the Connally goalkeeper to make the score 2-0.
Haley Mendel put the Lady Bears up 1-0 with 33:43 left to play.
It wouldn’t be the last time Connally’s keeper had to deal with Patterson.
She made the score 3-0 on an unassisted goal just five minutes later.
Bastrop called off the attack for the rest of the first half, but Lady Bears defense kept the Lady Cougars from getting a single shot at goalkeeper Jackie Navarette.
Connally finally got its first shot on goal in the opening minute of the second half, but Patterson wasn’t done harassing Connally’s defense.
In span of 10 minutes, Patterson had three shots on goal that were blocked. Two of them were one-on-one with the goalkeeper.
Her fourth attempt of the second half was a header that was again blocked, keeping Patterson from her 20th goal of the season and her hat trick.
Connally finally got on the scoreboard after breaking through the defense with 7:17 left in the game, but Patterson was not done.
After a hand ball in the final minutes in Connally’s goal box, Patterson scored on a penalty kick with 17 seconds on the clock for her 20th goal of the season and the hat-trick.