Nansemond River’s girls soccer squad dropped to 0-3 in the Southeastern District Tuesday night, but the Lady Warriors are agonizingly close to a much better record, perhaps even as good as 2-1.

On Tuesday, the Lady Warriors dropped their second straight overtime match. Last week it was a 1-0 loss against Oscar Smith. Despite Malika Rashid’s game-tying goal with just over 10 minutes to play in the second half, Hickory scored 0:13 into the second overtime period to get a 2-1 district victory.

Nansemond River’s (3-7, 0-3) three district losses have come by a total of four goals. Defense and hustle haven’t been problems at all. Coming up with goals has been the main shortcoming.

“It can be a little frustrating,” said Nansemond River head coach Darryl Yandle, “but we’re well in the district now as far as competing.”

“We’re close. We’ve just got to take another step. We work hard. They (opponents) work hard. We’ve just got to work harder,” Yandle said.

Yandle’s team worked hard to hassle the Lady Hawks for all 90 minutes of Tuesday’s match. Hickory had most of the possession through the game, but created only a few serious scoring chances. Overall Hickory outshot NR 23-6, but it was only a 9-4 advantage in shots on goal.

Hickory took the lead in the 25th minute thanks to a short clearance by the Lady Warriors that turned into a quick turnover. Catherine George broke in on goal with the loose ball and accurately booted a 22-yard shot past NR goalie Rachel McManus as she came out to try and cut the angle down.

McManus finished with seven saves and many more plays to stop Hickory attacks. With McManus racing off her line and gathering anything entering her penalty box, she allowed her defenders to play more aggressively.

Most of the second half was a battle in midfield. NR started pushing more of the play into Hickory’s end just past the halfway mark of the second half, earning a couple dangerous free kicks taken by freshman center midfielder Megan Proffit.

The tying goal started with a Lady Warrior throw-in to the left of Hickory’s box. Brittany Frame won the ball in the left side of the Lady Hawk box and chipped the ball toward the near post. Hickory’s goalkeeper muffed the catch and Rashid, a sophomore forward, was on the spot to head the ball just enough for it to bounce over the goal line.

“I’m extremely satisfied to see the team score, to come back and to get to overtime. To score a late goal like that showed a lot of heart,” Yandle said.

McManus made a critical save, racing out and sliding in front of a Hickory shot to knock it away for a corner, as the clock ticked under four minutes left.

In overtime, most of the first five-minute segment was played with Hickory on offense. On the kickoff to start the second five minutes, Hickory used four passes, suddenly scoring as Courtney Roach ran onto a pass past NR’s back line and poked a shot into the net just before McManus got to the ball near the edge of the box.

Roach’s shot was one of two on goal by Hickory in overtime. NR didn’t get a shot off in the 10-minute OT.

Six district games remain for the Lady Warriors. NR hosts Deep Creek Thursday at 7 p.m.