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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

NORTHPORT – The Montevallo Bulldogs faced their biggest area test to date in a road match against the Northside Rams, and the Bulldogs emerged from the matchup with a statement win.

Montevallo defeated Northside in a penalty shootout after the teams ended regulation in a 2-2 tie on Thursday, March 7 at Northside High School.

The Bulldogs win ends the Rams’ previously undefeated season and keeps their own perfect area record alive by improving it to 2-0.

During the match, Montevallo and Northside found themselves locked in a tight battle against each other.

Each team matched the other’s efforts, with the Rams’ two goals equaled by two from the visiting Bulldogs, leaving the opposing sides in a deadlock.

After two 40-minute halves couldn’t separate the area foes, they went into a pair of five-minute extra time periods. However, even overtime wasn’t enough to produce a winner.

That sent the match to a penalty shootout to decide once and for all who would walk away as the winner of the match.

The goals started flowing from both sides as they combined for nine goals during the shootout.

Montevallo excelled throughout the shootout, scoring five goals to match Northside’s efforts once again and put the pressure on the unbeaten hosts.

In the end, a save from the Bulldogs keeper kept the Rams at four goals. That provided the difference between the two teams as Montevallo took the shootout 5-4.

The win improves the Bulldogs to 8-4 on the season and 2-0 in area play, extending their win streak to seven straight matches.

Montevallo will put that streak to the test against another surging county side: the Calera Eagles. The two sides will clash on Monday, March 11 at 7 p.m. at Calera High School.