A communication breakdown put the Poplar Bluff soccer team behind early in the second half Monday.
Corin Carroll's goal gave St. Vincent the lead in the 44th minute when the junior slipped a shot through Poplar Bluff's defender and keeper as they all converged on the ball.
Carroll scored both goals to rally the Indians past Poplar Bluff 2-1 at Mules Stadium.
"It was just a miscommunication," Mules coach Rusty Crafton said. "We just got to learn from it. I'm mad that we lost, I hate to lose, but we've just got to learn from our mistakes and keep moving on."
The Mules (5-7) struck first on Neida Grimaldo's fifth goal of the season but Carroll tied it on a ball through the middle by Faith Kapp as the teams traded goals in the opening half of the first half.
St. Vincent (7-4) countered early in the second half following a free kick by Poplar Bluff that keeper Courtney Brewer stopped. The Mules were able to turn aside the attack up the right side but couldn't clear as Carroll intercepted a pass and got the ball to Kalli Seabaugh.
Carroll got the ball back in the middle and got off a shot just as Poplar Bluff keeper Shelby Sievers and defender Jordynn Caldwell got to the spot.
"They each thought they were going to get it," Crafton said. "It was just the girl slipped through them and got it."
Sievers later robbed Carroll of a hat trick twice with diving stops. The Poplar Bluff keeper finished with 12 saves.
"She made some great saves there at the end," Crafton said.
Poplar Bluff's offense came up empty after Grimaldo scored for a second straight game.
Ady Kingree picked up her fourth assist when Grimaldo scored off the freshman's cross.
Carroll had a pair of breakaways through the middle after that, scoring on the first but getting turned away on the second.
The Mules countered by using a holding midfielder to cut down on the runs through the middle and St. Vincent looked to the sidelines.
In the 30th minute, Megan Lipe's shot hit the crossbar but Caldwell got to the rebound and cleared the ball for the Mules. Sievers stopped a cross in the next minute before Poplar Bluff's Valeria Palma-Ramirez had her redirected cross stopped by a defender.
Caldwell's free kick in the 35th minute was on net but Brewer made the save, one of seven.
Sophie Rowland's free kick from the left side in the 46th minute went untouched as it sailed past the far post. A corner in the 53rd minute was headed out back to Rowland on the side. The sophomore's second cross was headed wide of the far post.
The Indians, who had given up two goals just once this season in a 5-2 win over Festus, kept the pressure on Poplar Bluff's defense during the middle stretch of the second half.
"We just couldn't get a rhythm going," Crafton said. "We were kick-balling it a little bit, wasn't settling the ball, wasn't moving the ball, connecting through the lines and that's what happens when you do that."
Playing a third game in four days, the Mules finished with a flurry of chances in the final five minutes.
It started with a corner that Shelbey Johnson headed toward the goal but was stopped by a defender and Kingree's redirect was saved by the keeper. Brewer made another save two minutes later before stopping another corner opportunity redirected in front and a free kick by Caldwell. A corner chance in the final minute was intercepted by a St. Vincent defender and carried out.
"Credit to them," Crafton said. "They're a good team and their keeper is really good. She's aggressive and she doesn't let much through."
The Mules outshot St. Vincent 29-21 but fell to 2-4 in games decided by a goal. They travel Thursday to Jackson to face the district rival for the first time this season.
"Huge game," Crafton said. "We've got to be ready."