Free State goalie Elena Auer (0) knocks the ball away on a corner kick during senior night in a game against Blue Valley Southwest at Free State. Rylee Fuerst (18) in background, also defending, scored one of the Firebirds' goals in their 2-all draw.

On most nights, a tie feels more like a loss than anything else.

But Thursday evening, given the circumstances surrounding Free State High’s soccer game, something about a draw felt appropriate.

Emotions ran high as the Firebirds and Blue Valley Southwest — led by former FSHS coach Jason Pendleton — battled to a 2-2 tie on Free State’s Senior Night at FSHS.

Following the final whistle, Pendleton and FSHS coach Kelly Barah greeted one another with a handshake and a tight embrace, and then Pendleton sought out a number of his former players and had hugs for them as well.

“I just care about those kids a great deal,” Pendleton said. “I’m really proud of both teams tonight. You hate tying, but it probably was a fair result in that regard.”

Barah agreed, saying that emotions aside, no team really deserved to lose the hotly contested, back-and-forth battle.

Moments in, BVNW (12-3-1) jumped ahead, 1-0, after a loose ball in the box was banged home following a corner kick.

The Timberwolves continued to pressure the Firebirds (9-6-1) and threatened to break the game open after earning a penalty kick only a few minutes later.

Mackenzie Baird made a bid for a two-goal BVSW edge, as she blasted the kick toward the net, but Elena Auer was there to punch the ball aside, drawing loud cheers from the large crowd.

“It was huge, and that’s who she’s been for us all year,” Barah said of Auer, who made 11 saves. “She just makes saves all over the place, and we’ve come to expect that of her.”

Madeline Caywood (20) pursues the ball on senior night in a game against Blue Valley Southwest on Thursday, May 12, at Free State. The teams tied, 2-2.

Seniors McKenzie Dever (8) and Amanda Moyer (4) hug during senior recognition at the halftime of the Firebirds' game against Blue Valley Southwest Thursday night at Free State. The teams played to a 2-2 tie.

Auer’s big stop seemed to energize the Firebirds, who began to press the attack and possess the ball in the offensive third before eventually earning a penalty kick of their own.

Rylee Fuerst took the kick for FSHS and drilled one into the top-right corner of the net to knot the game at 1 midway through the half.

FSHS struck again a few minutes later as Chelsea Casady found a streaking Maddie Dieker, who buried a shot high into the left corner of the net.

The Firebirds, who Barah said battled nerves and emotions to open the game, controlled the remainder of the half and nearly scored again after a blast from Kylee Loneker clanked off the crossbar.

“After (the opening minutes), it was more of a wake-up call, like, OK, we’ve got all of the butterflies out of our stomach and can just play soccer and do what we do,” Barah said.

After the half — during which FSHS honored seniors Rachael Hodison, Amanda Moyer, Hillary Yoder, Erin Ice, Mckenzie Dever, Liza Farr, Victoria Gilman, Annie Libeer and Madisyn Warriner — BVSW came out the aggressor and eventually netted the equalizer on a booming shot from Amanda Creason.

While the ebb and flow of the game changed every few minutes, each side had a few chances to pull ahead, both at the end of regulation and in each overtime period, but no shot found the back of the net.

And that seemed just fine with Barah and Pendleton, who posed for a few photos with his former players and had nothing but good things to say about the Firebirds following the game.

“They’re going to be a force to be reckoned with, especially with all of the young kids,” Pendleton said. “I’m going to have to really consider whether or not we’ll keep them on our schedule. That was a playoff-type atmosphere.”