Ifs and buts don’t win soccer games. Still, Free State High sometimes seems so close.

Tuesday’s 2-1 loss to Shawnee Mission Northwest at the FSHS field was the Firebirds’ fourth overtime defeat of the season. They’ve yet to win in OT.

“We really don’t know how to win,” Free State coach Jason Pendleton said. “We can’t get over the hump, and sometimes it seems like the Himalayas.”

In the first half, Free State looked like it had cut the Himalayas down to the Flint Hills. Time after time, the Firebirds attacked the Cougars’ net.

With 25:24 showing, senior Rebekah Berkley fed Lucca Wang, and the freshman drilled the ball into the net for a 1-0 lead. Later in the period, Berkley continually put pressure on SM Northwest goalkeeper Christine Herdman.

“Rebekah had five or six opportunities,” Pendleton said, “but their keeper made some really good saves.”

Then momentum shifted after the break, in large part because the Cougars had the wind at their backs.

“It seemed like we ran out of steam,” Pendleton said. “We controlled the tempo in the first half, but in the second half the wind seemed to get stronger, and our girls seemed to wilt.”

The Firebirds rarely threatened in the last 40 minutes and eventually Pendleton adopted a defensive strategy to protect the 1-0 lead. The plan worked until the Cougars’ Rachelle Luster scored with 17:23 remaining to forge a 1-all deadlock.

Thanks to a handful of saves by Free State netminder Jenny Gwaltney, the score stayed that way until the end of regulation. In the OT, Free State had the wind, but couldn’t take advantage. Finally, after 7:45 had elapsed, Northwest’s Chelsea Sheehan left-footed a drive into the right corner of the goal past a sprawling Gwaltney to end it.

Free State High's Jenni Brooks, left, deflects the ball into Shawnee Mission Northwest's Amy Thomas. The Firebirds lost, 2-1 in overtime, Tuesday at Free State.

“Even with the wind in overtime, we didn’t respond with the energy level we need to win in the Sunflower League,” Pendleton said.

Free State dipped to 1-8-1 in league games and 2-10-1 overall with its fifth straight defeat.

“It’s a consistent pattern,” Pendleton said of the one-point loss. “We’ve been blown out by the top teams, but everybody else beats us by a goal.”

Free State will conclude the regular season on Thursday at SM East.