The Webster City senior forward crumpled to her knees and she slapped the turf inside the box with both hands. But there was no resignation on her face as she quickly got to her feet and sprinted back the other way.

There was determination.

And when Kasch got another chance to slam the door shut a few minutes later? The celebration ensued.

A perfectly executed header from Adalie Peterson landed at Kasch’s feet on the right side of the pitch and the Lynx leader did the rest in the 96th minute to propel WCHS to a dramatic first victory of the season, 4-3, over Hampton-Dumont/CAL.

Abby Gallentine (9) blows a kiss to the WCHS bench following her penalty kick goal in the first half against Hampton-Dumont/CAL on Friday. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

After receiving the pass, Kasch fought off a defender as she drifted toward the goal. Her blast toward the left corner glanced off the hands of Bulldogs’ goalkeeper Faith Grover and found the back of the net for the golden goal. Teammates were quick to mob Kasch.

“It was awesome and we needed it after a shaky two weeks,” Kasch, who had two goals in the win, said. “Adalie’s pass was amazing, it was perfect right through to me with the head. When it tipped off (Grover’s) hands I thought it was going to go over the goal, but it didn’t.”

Abby Gallentine and Shelby Queen also scored goals, while Kasch and Queen notched assists to give interim head coach Chad Vogelbacher his first victory since taking over the program last week. The new leader was ecstatic afterward, but it was all about the players.

“The girls just played their hearts out,” he said. “The effort was phenomenal.”

WCHS (1-3) led 3-2 at the half, but faced plenty of adversity throughout the second half and 16 minutes of extra time. Queen, Kasch’s sidekick up top, and starting goalkeeper Rori Snethen had to leave due to their involvement in the school play and that allowed HDC (1-4) to double- and triple-team Kasch.

Adalie Peterson heads the ball down the pitch for Webster City on Friday. She had the match-winning assist on a header. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

The Bulldogs scored the equalizer in the 48th minute on a Zoe Erdman dribbler from the left side, but the Lynx defense was stingy over the final 48 minutes. The back line — keyed by Allison Oswald and Abby Gallentine — blanketed HDC leader Lauren Meader, who scored two first-half goals on long jaunts through the defense.

Meader had her own chance to end the match in the final 10 seconds of regulation, but her shot doinked off the crossbar and out of play to send the match into extra time.

“They had a very good offensive player, but our girls did a good job,” Vogelbacher said. “Our whole back line played almost all of the minutes and did great.”

Kasch put the first goal on the scoreboard in the fourth minute on a nice cross from Queen, but back-to-back goals by Meader put HDC in front.

Gallentine evened it at 2 in the 26th minute off a penalty kick courtesy of a handball in the box off a Queen corner kick. Gallentine slammed the ball in the right side as Grover dove the other direction.

DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Kasch returned the favor with a cross to Queen in the 38th and the junior slammed it home moments before colliding with Grover to give WCHS the 3-2 lead at the intermission.

The Lynx owned the slight advantage in shots (15-13) and shots on goal (9-8). Snethen collected two saves in her 40 minutes in goal, and Katie Piaszynski took over in the second half and snared three more.

WCHS 4, HDC 3

Friday at Webster City

HDC 2 1 0 0 — 3

DFJ photo/Troy Banning

WCHS 3 0 0 1 — 4

Goals — HDC: Lauren Meader (Franka Schmid assist, 7′), Meader (Schmid assist, 22′), Zoe Erdman (Irlanda Tangarife assist, 48′); WCHS: Leah Kasch (Shelby Queen assist, 4′), Abby Gallentine (unassisted, 26′), Queen, Kasch assist, 38′), Kasch (Amalie Peterson assist, 96′). Shots — HDC 13, WCHS 15. Shots on goal — HDC 8, WCHS 9. Saves — HDC 5 (Faith Grover), WCHS 5 (Rori Snethen 2, Katie Piaszynski 3). Corner kicks — HDC 0, WCHS 4.