Savat, Berry net hat tricks as Poplar Bluff soccer team earns road win

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Mo. — Zoe Savat and Madalyn Berry each had a hat trick as the Poplar Bluff soccer team closed out the regular season with an 8-2 win at Liberty-Mountain View on Tuesday.

Berry set up Lily Johnson’s tiebreaking goal with 14 1/2 minutes left in the half and Savat scored twice over the final five minutes before the break to give the Mules a 4-1 lead.

Poplar Bluff (13-10) clinched the program’s first winning season since 2011.

Sierra Sievers scored first with an assist by Berry 12 minutes into the game.

Tru Daniels scored the first of her two goals for Liberty with 19 minutes left in the half to tie it.

Berry scored her second goal 1 minute, 43 seconds into the second half and set up Savat’s third goal of the game with 22 minutes remaining. Savat returned the favor by setting up Berry’s third goal 10 minutes later.

Poplar Bluff scored eight goals for the third time this season but did it Tuesday without the team’s leading scorer, who was out after picking up a red card in Monday’s 6-1 loss to Perryville.

Berry moved into the forward spot, Mules assistant coach Aaron Duncan said, and recorded her second multi-goal game of the season and first hat trick.

Savat picked up her second hat track this season after scoring three goals against Kelly. The senior has 15 goals on the season, one behind Olivia Carda-Smith while Berry has 11.

Poplar Bluff goal keeper Nevaeh Larkins made 10 saves.

The Mules improved to 11-2 when scoring two or more goals and are 13-2 when given up two or fewer goals.

Poplar Bluff will face top-seeded and state-ranked Jackson at 5 p.m. Monday in the MSHSAA Class 4 District 1 semifinal.