Megan Johnson’s goal that put Lawrence High ahead of Kansas City (Mo.) Pembroke Hill, 3-1, with 12 seconds to play Friday at Youth Sports Inc. fields seemed like an exclamation point to the Lions’ second straight victory.

It wasn’t.

The freshman’s goal, in fact, proved to be the game-winner when the Raiders ran down the field and scored a goal of their own as time expired.

Sensing the game was over, players from both sides spilled on the field only to be told their postgame handshakes would have to wait.

But only for half a second.

Referees finally signaled the contest’s completion and a 3-2 Lawrence victory as soon as the Lions tapped the ball.

“I don’t know what happen,” said LHS forward Monica Ruiz, shrugging her shoulders about the game’s unusual conclusion.

What the senior knew was that her two goals helped the 3-8-1 Lions pick up their first back-to-back victories of the season.

“We played pretty good and stuck with it in the end,” Ruiz said.

But Ruiz wasn’t completely satisfied with the victory, and it wasn’t because of the odd ending.

Ruiz’s frustration stemmed from the fact that she barely missed the first hat trick of her career.

“Yeah, I’m disappointed,” Ruiz said. “My dad and I had been practicing for that situation.”

The situation in question was a one-on-one opportunity with the goalie, which is exactly what Ruiz had with less than five minutes remaining. But before Ruiz could pound the ball past Pembroke’s Alis Schackman, the goalie slid in front of the forward and was met with Ruiz’s fierce shot right in the face.

The Raider goalie laid on the ground for several minutes, but continued playing — although she certainly seemed stunned by the shot when she nearly allowed a routine shot past her on the ensuing possession.

Although Ruiz missed the one-on-one opportunity — and a couple other clear chances in the second half — it was Pembroke’s misses that proved costly.

Ten minutes into the second half, Raider forward Carter Schwarberg was awarded a penalty kick after a teammate was fouled inside the box. But as has been the case all season, Lawrence High goalie Shannon Fisher stayed perfect on penalty kicks when Schwarberg’s shot bounced off the near corner post.

“It’s because she’s so intimidating,” Lawrence coach Keith Nelson quipped about Fisher’s presence between the posts during penalty kicks.

“Yeah, they must be scared of me,” Fisher fired back, before saying she didn’t have to stop two of the four opportunities.

While Fisher’s saves and the early goals by Ruiz were the biggest highlights Friday, Nelson praised the play of senior midfielder Aly Barland afterward.

“I can’t say it was her best game,” Nelson said. “She’s been playing that hard all year. She’s runs down every ball and just never quits.

“She’s definitely our emotional leader.”

Barland downplayed Nelson’s boasts, and said she was just glad Johnson scored the go-ahead goal before Pembroke’s Caitlin Collins’ buzzer-beating blast.

“I think we all thought it was kind of over after her goal, but I’m just happy she had it when she did,” Barland said.

Lawrence heads to Olathe South for its toughest challenge of the season Tuesday when it plays the nation’s No. 2 team — the Falcons.