Carolina Day soccer sloshes past HPCA, 4-3
BY MICHAEL LINDSAYENTERPRISE SPORTS WRITER
HIGH POINT — High Point Christian had a lot go its way early. The rest of the match, despite its best efforts, ended up being a different story.The third-seeded Cougars scored two goals to lead early, but unseeded Carolina Day scored four of the final five goals — including the game-winner with 2 1/2 minutes left — to defeat HPCA 4-3 on a rainy Saturday afternoon at Correll-Morris Field in the quarterfinals of the NCI-SAA 3A girls soccer playoffs.
“I think we played well as a whole,” Cougars coach Austin Beck said. “There was a spurt in the first half where we went up two goals and we got comfort-able. That was when they hit us with a couple quick goals. But, if you look at the whole game, I thought we played well.”
Skylar Talbert scored two goals — giving her team the lead early in the fi rst half and tying the match early in the second half — to lead HPCA (10-5), which received a double-bye and hosted its first playoff match in program history, while Lauren Austin also scored a goal.
The Cougars, ranked No. 6 among NCISAA 3A teams by MaxPreps and No. 110 in the state overall, jumped ahead on a pass ahead by Riley Barrett and a shot by Talbert from near the top of the box in the seventh minute. Six minutes later, Talbert sent in a corner kick that, in a scramble in front, Austin finished.But Carolina Day (10-3-1), ranked No. 5 among 3A teams and No. 104 in the state, quick-ly got one back in the nextminute and tied it in the 26th minute.
Then, as the HPCA defense couldn’t control a wildly spinning ball along the back line, the Wildcats surged ahead with a goal in the 37th minute and led 3-2 at the half.The Cougars retied it in the 42nd minute with another goal by Talbert, who lofted a shot from distance over the goalkeeper and into the net.
Throughout the second half, both teams had their chances — HPCA’s two best opportunities came when Barrett, a USC Aiken recruit, got the ball deep along the back line.But, like many of the breaks as the match went along, they didn’t fall the Cougars’ way — one shot being stopped and the other hitting off the goal frame. Then, with under three minutes left to play, the Wildcats made up run up the left side, sent the ball in front and scored to regain the lead
.“You see it hit off the post or just go over or wide — you think it’s the chance and it doesn’t end up being that,” Beck said. “We’ve got a saying: Just concentrate on the next one. You always feel like that next one’s going to come.“Unfortunately, they didn’t fall for us — but it wasn’t like our girls weren’t tr ying. The effort was there; we were pushing the issue. Who knows — if that ball goes in off the post, then maybe that last goal doesn’t happen.”
HPCA, which was anchored by Braley Dula in goal, pushed for ward in the final minutes. But Carolina Day, which will face second-seeded Hickory Grove in the semifinals, defended well and finished the sea-son for the Cougars, who will return their core group but lose seniors Kami Kershaw and Ashlyn Austin.
“Obviously, it was a great season,” said Beck, who was also celebrating his 32nd birthday. “We accomplished a lot — first home game in program histor y, a No. 3 seed, a double-bye. All these things we did accomplish, and I think that’s important for us to reflect on and work toward next year.“I think there are a lot of girls standing over here who aren’t happy with this result, obviously. And now it’s: What are you going to do to help us learn and grow and make sure it doesn’t happen again?”
mlindsay@hpenews.com
BY MICHAEL LINDSAYENTERPRISE SPORTS WRITER
HIGH POINT — High Point Christian had a lot go its way early. The rest of the match, despite its best efforts, ended up being a different story.The third-seeded Cougars scored two goals to lead early, but unseeded Carolina Day scored four of the final five goals — including the game-winner with 2 1/2 minutes left — to defeat HPCA 4-3 on a rainy Saturday afternoon at Correll-Morris Field in the quarterfinals of the NCI-SAA 3A girls soccer playoffs.
“I think we played well as a whole,” Cougars coach Austin Beck said. “There was a spurt in the first half where we went up two goals and we got comfort-able. That was when they hit us with a couple quick goals. But, if you look at the whole game, I thought we played well.”
Skylar Talbert scored two goals — giving her team the lead early in the fi rst half and tying the match early in the second half — to lead HPCA (10-5), which received a double-bye and hosted its first playoff match in program history, while Lauren Austin also scored a goal.
The Cougars, ranked No. 6 among NCISAA 3A teams by MaxPreps and No. 110 in the state overall, jumped ahead on a pass ahead by Riley Barrett and a shot by Talbert from near the top of the box in the seventh minute. Six minutes later, Talbert sent in a corner kick that, in a scramble in front, Austin finished.But Carolina Day (10-3-1), ranked No. 5 among 3A teams and No. 104 in the state, quick-ly got one back in the nextminute and tied it in the 26th minute.
Then, as the HPCA defense couldn’t control a wildly spinning ball along the back line, the Wildcats surged ahead with a goal in the 37th minute and led 3-2 at the half.The Cougars retied it in the 42nd minute with another goal by Talbert, who lofted a shot from distance over the goalkeeper and into the net.
Throughout the second half, both teams had their chances — HPCA’s two best opportunities came when Barrett, a USC Aiken recruit, got the ball deep along the back line.But, like many of the breaks as the match went along, they didn’t fall the Cougars’ way — one shot being stopped and the other hitting off the goal frame. Then, with under three minutes left to play, the Wildcats made up run up the left side, sent the ball in front and scored to regain the lead
.“You see it hit off the post or just go over or wide — you think it’s the chance and it doesn’t end up being that,” Beck said. “We’ve got a saying: Just concentrate on the next one. You always feel like that next one’s going to come.“Unfortunately, they didn’t fall for us — but it wasn’t like our girls weren’t tr ying. The effort was there; we were pushing the issue. Who knows — if that ball goes in off the post, then maybe that last goal doesn’t happen.”
HPCA, which was anchored by Braley Dula in goal, pushed for ward in the final minutes. But Carolina Day, which will face second-seeded Hickory Grove in the semifinals, defended well and finished the sea-son for the Cougars, who will return their core group but lose seniors Kami Kershaw and Ashlyn Austin.
“Obviously, it was a great season,” said Beck, who was also celebrating his 32nd birthday. “We accomplished a lot — first home game in program histor y, a No. 3 seed, a double-bye. All these things we did accomplish, and I think that’s important for us to reflect on and work toward next year.“I think there are a lot of girls standing over here who aren’t happy with this result, obviously. And now it’s: What are you going to do to help us learn and grow and make sure it doesn’t happen again?”
mlindsay@hpenews.com
