The fifth attempt was the charm for the Lady Kahoks at the Adidas Tournament of Champions in Burlington, Iowa.

Kitty Besserman in action earlier this season / Photo by Sherry Holten

After losing all three games last year, and their first match this year, the Lady Kahoks topped Ankeny 2-0 Saturday. West Des Moines Valley beat Collinsville (9-5-1) later Saturday to send the Lady Kahoks home with a 1-2 record in the tournament.

Collinsville Head Coach Clay Smith said his team played well, despite the 1-2 mark.

“We had chances to win, and I think we lost every game through our mistakes,” Smith said. “We played well overall.”

Saturday got off to a good start when Sophia Sharos hit a second-half bomb into the upper corner from 35 yards out to give the Lady Kahoks all the scoring they would need. The strike was Sharos’ 10th on the season.

Kelsey Delisle finished the scoring when she collected her first goal of the season. Kitty Besserman fed Delisle for the second of three assists Besserman would collect on the weekend.

Smith said Besserman had a very good tournament.

“She is playing well,” Smith said. “Wherever you put her, you just have confidence in her because she’s so smart and knows what to do.”

The second game, against West Des Moines Valley, started out well for the Lady Kahoks. Besserman fed Emily Holten for the freshman’s sixth goal of the season, good for second on the team to Sharos.

Smith said Holten flies under the radar, but is doing great things for the team.

“She’s played everywhere for us. She has a soccer mind, she is very smart,” Smith said. “She’s a pleasure to have on the team.”

The Lady Tigers tied the game about five minutes later. Valley went ahead on a goal like none other Smith has seen in 20 years, he said. The Lady Tigers earned a corner kick on the left side of the field. The kick, however, would have been into the wind, so a player picked the ball up, ran to the other side of the field, put the ball in play and Valley scored.

“I have never seen it and it’s completely against the rules,” Smith said. “I said my case but to no avail.”

The Lady Tigers tacked on another goal before the half to grab a commanding 3-1 halftime lead.

The second half was a different match, with the Lady Kahoks dominating play. However, they scored only one goal, on what became the second time in 20 years Smith had seen the same play.

Collinsville earned a corner kick on the left side of the field, so Smith had Andrea Frerker pick up the ball, run to the right side of the field and play the ball in. The officials let the play stand, again, and Hanna Liljegren headed the ball into the net for her third goal of the season.

“And now their coaches are yelling. They said it was unsportsmanlike, but they did the same thing,” Smith said. “It’s pretty comical now that we look back on it.”

The Lady Kahoks return to action with a 6:30 tilt at Triad Tuesday.