BCA girls fall short in soccer playoffs
By Conor O’Neill
Times-News
All the ingredients were there for Burlington Christian Academy to pull even with visiting Arendell Parrott Academy in a North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association Class 2-A second-round girls’ soccer matchup.
“Our passes were there, our communication was there and we had some good shots and they just didn’t go in,” BCA senior Camille Abbott said.
The seventh-seeded Royals couldn’t notch the equalizer in a 2-1 loss Thursday night at Springwood Park, putting up nine shots — six of them on goal — in a sometimes-furious paced second half. Arendell Parrott Academy advances to a third-round matchup against Fayetteville Academy.
The Royals (17-2), whose only other loss this season came against Western Alamance, trailed for the entire second half after the 10th-seeded Patriots (14-8) scored twice in the last four minutes of a first half in which BCA mostly controlled the pace.
On a corner kick that was initially going to be a goal kick before it was overturned by a sideline ref, goalkeeper Abi Proffit made the first save before Alex Melk pounded in the rebound.
“The sideline ref called it a corner kick, and the center ref called it a goal kick, and he was like, ‘Oh, OK, corner kick,’ ” said BCA coach Katie Meads, who was assessed a yellow card in the game’s final minutes.
Megan Blair scored two minutes later to send Arendell Parrott Academy into halftime with the 2-1 lead.
“We just fell apart. We were exhausted mentally, physically and so I think we just … we broke down,” Meads said of the end of the first half. “We’re suffering a few injuries right now, we’re recovering from one concussion, we’ve got some hamstring pulls and we’ve got one sprained ankle. We’re all playing a little bit hurt and that’s what happens when you go into the playoffs.”
BCA scored first on Jessica Capes’ laser to the left side of the goal off a right-footed blast coming in the 27th minute. The prolific sophomore scorer hit the crossbar on the game’s first shot and had a header go high in the 16th minute for the Royals’ best chances before she broke through.
Capes also had the best chance of the second half, when she squeezed off a shot from the middle of the box that landed squarely in goalkeeper Alli Grant Avery’s arms.
“I mean, we always say look for the corners and that’s one of those things where, in the moment they just freak out and hit it right to them,” Meads said. “Just like over here when we hit the crossbar, that’s always our taboo thing to do, but it was just that kind of night.”
Proffit made seven saves, four of those coming in the second half to keep the margin at one goal.
“Our whole team fought. (Proffit) is a freshman and she’s just amazing for her age and her experience, even. I can’t wait to see her when she’s a senior,” Abbott said. “It’s been an unforgettable season and I’m thankful for my team.”
By Conor O’Neill
Times-News
All the ingredients were there for Burlington Christian Academy to pull even with visiting Arendell Parrott Academy in a North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association Class 2-A second-round girls’ soccer matchup.
“Our passes were there, our communication was there and we had some good shots and they just didn’t go in,” BCA senior Camille Abbott said.
The seventh-seeded Royals couldn’t notch the equalizer in a 2-1 loss Thursday night at Springwood Park, putting up nine shots — six of them on goal — in a sometimes-furious paced second half. Arendell Parrott Academy advances to a third-round matchup against Fayetteville Academy.
The Royals (17-2), whose only other loss this season came against Western Alamance, trailed for the entire second half after the 10th-seeded Patriots (14-8) scored twice in the last four minutes of a first half in which BCA mostly controlled the pace.
On a corner kick that was initially going to be a goal kick before it was overturned by a sideline ref, goalkeeper Abi Proffit made the first save before Alex Melk pounded in the rebound.
“The sideline ref called it a corner kick, and the center ref called it a goal kick, and he was like, ‘Oh, OK, corner kick,’ ” said BCA coach Katie Meads, who was assessed a yellow card in the game’s final minutes.
Megan Blair scored two minutes later to send Arendell Parrott Academy into halftime with the 2-1 lead.
“We just fell apart. We were exhausted mentally, physically and so I think we just … we broke down,” Meads said of the end of the first half. “We’re suffering a few injuries right now, we’re recovering from one concussion, we’ve got some hamstring pulls and we’ve got one sprained ankle. We’re all playing a little bit hurt and that’s what happens when you go into the playoffs.”
BCA scored first on Jessica Capes’ laser to the left side of the goal off a right-footed blast coming in the 27th minute. The prolific sophomore scorer hit the crossbar on the game’s first shot and had a header go high in the 16th minute for the Royals’ best chances before she broke through.
Capes also had the best chance of the second half, when she squeezed off a shot from the middle of the box that landed squarely in goalkeeper Alli Grant Avery’s arms.
“I mean, we always say look for the corners and that’s one of those things where, in the moment they just freak out and hit it right to them,” Meads said. “Just like over here when we hit the crossbar, that’s always our taboo thing to do, but it was just that kind of night.”
Proffit made seven saves, four of those coming in the second half to keep the margin at one goal.
“Our whole team fought. (Proffit) is a freshman and she’s just amazing for her age and her experience, even. I can’t wait to see her when she’s a senior,” Abbott said. “It’s been an unforgettable season and I’m thankful for my team.”
