Lady Cyclones edge Wayne Country Day 2-1 to grab share of CPIC title
By Jimmy Lewis
Staff Writer
For the Community Christian School varsity girls soccer team, junior Morgan Lane can be any number of well-worn phrases against North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association competition.
A spark plug. A trump card. An equalizer.
On Monday against 1-A Coastal Plain Independents Conference opponent Wayne Country Day, she was, quite simply, the difference.
Trailing 1-0 early in the second half, Lane maneuvered free for a pair of goals 75 seconds apart to lift the Lady Cyclones to a share of the CPIC regular-season title in their first year as a member with a 2-1 win over the Lady Chargers.
The clincher in the 47th minute was vintage Lane, who gathered a ball off the left-hand side and dared anyone to stay with her speed as she made an unmarked run down the sideline. Before reaching the penalty area, she put her left foot into the ball and tucked it in the upper right-hand corner, ultimately assuring CCS a share of the title alongside Wayne Country Day. The teams split their regular-season meetings.
“She’s really come on as a forward,” CCS head coach Monica Mills said of Lane. “She played outside mid last year, and she’s really stepped up to be a goal scorer for us.”
CCS improved to 9-4-1 and finished CPIC play at 7-1. Wayne Country Day fell to 9-3-1 in all matches and finished level with the Lady Cyclones at 7-1 within the league. The Lady Cyclones will be the No. 2 seed for the CPIC tournament that begins Thursday at CCS, with the Lady Cyclones facing No. 3 seed Winterville Christ Covenant at 5:15 p.m. No coin flip was necessary as Mills reported CCS volunteered to take the No. 2 seed in the event of a tie at a league meeting Saturday.
After an even first half failed to record a goal, CCS had a momentary defensive lapse to go down one.
In the 42nd minute, WCD sophomore Langley Barnes took three touches unmarked and launched a long shot from the middle of the field. CCS junior keeper Emily Boyette could do nothing with it, and the hosts trailed.
“We had just came out from halftime, and Monica said, ‘Mark up on 20 (Barnes),’” junior Anna Jackson said. “I guess we didn’t hear it. Well, somebody didn’t hear it and so she was just wide open. She was the one the last time who got those good goals, because she has a good foot. It was like no one saw her there.”
However, that proved to be the exception, rather than the rule.
CCS was the superior side in the second half, owning a 14-3 edge in shots. Junior stopper Whitney Bissette took on the assignment of man-marking Barnes, while freshman Lydia Renfrow was stout in the midfield, not allowing Wayne Country Day to mount dangerous threats in the second half. Only one of Boyette’s four saves were necessary in the final 40 minutes.
Offensively, Lane asserted her presence in the 45th. She received a quick flick into the penalty area and deftly chipped it past the WCD keeper for the equalizer. The go-ahead goal was postmarked for the corner with no defender but the goalkeeper in sight.
“We had to hustle harder and we get our mind on the right track,” Lane said of the second half. “We were stressing out and freaking out because it was a big game, and we wanted to win. We had to calm our nerves down and go out there and get it done.”
Wayne Country Day head coach Steve Ellis minced few words, noting that his team was not prepared to play.
“That second goal was really good,” Ellis said. “From our standpoint defensively though, we were all over the field. With Morgan’s speed as well and having the wind behind her, she kind of outpaced our back line.”
Both teams took six corner kicks. The Lady Cyclones staved off five corners from Wayne Country Day in the first 40 minutes to keep the match level.
Now, CCS looks to bolster its NCISAA 1-A postseason seeding with a possible CPIC tournament title, just two steps away.
“I think they’re ready,” Mills said. “Not to overlook Christ Covenant, but we’re hoping and looking forward to being in Friday’s (championship) game.”
By Jimmy Lewis
Staff Writer
For the Community Christian School varsity girls soccer team, junior Morgan Lane can be any number of well-worn phrases against North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association competition.
A spark plug. A trump card. An equalizer.
On Monday against 1-A Coastal Plain Independents Conference opponent Wayne Country Day, she was, quite simply, the difference.
Trailing 1-0 early in the second half, Lane maneuvered free for a pair of goals 75 seconds apart to lift the Lady Cyclones to a share of the CPIC regular-season title in their first year as a member with a 2-1 win over the Lady Chargers.
The clincher in the 47th minute was vintage Lane, who gathered a ball off the left-hand side and dared anyone to stay with her speed as she made an unmarked run down the sideline. Before reaching the penalty area, she put her left foot into the ball and tucked it in the upper right-hand corner, ultimately assuring CCS a share of the title alongside Wayne Country Day. The teams split their regular-season meetings.
“She’s really come on as a forward,” CCS head coach Monica Mills said of Lane. “She played outside mid last year, and she’s really stepped up to be a goal scorer for us.”
CCS improved to 9-4-1 and finished CPIC play at 7-1. Wayne Country Day fell to 9-3-1 in all matches and finished level with the Lady Cyclones at 7-1 within the league. The Lady Cyclones will be the No. 2 seed for the CPIC tournament that begins Thursday at CCS, with the Lady Cyclones facing No. 3 seed Winterville Christ Covenant at 5:15 p.m. No coin flip was necessary as Mills reported CCS volunteered to take the No. 2 seed in the event of a tie at a league meeting Saturday.
After an even first half failed to record a goal, CCS had a momentary defensive lapse to go down one.
In the 42nd minute, WCD sophomore Langley Barnes took three touches unmarked and launched a long shot from the middle of the field. CCS junior keeper Emily Boyette could do nothing with it, and the hosts trailed.
“We had just came out from halftime, and Monica said, ‘Mark up on 20 (Barnes),’” junior Anna Jackson said. “I guess we didn’t hear it. Well, somebody didn’t hear it and so she was just wide open. She was the one the last time who got those good goals, because she has a good foot. It was like no one saw her there.”
However, that proved to be the exception, rather than the rule.
CCS was the superior side in the second half, owning a 14-3 edge in shots. Junior stopper Whitney Bissette took on the assignment of man-marking Barnes, while freshman Lydia Renfrow was stout in the midfield, not allowing Wayne Country Day to mount dangerous threats in the second half. Only one of Boyette’s four saves were necessary in the final 40 minutes.
Offensively, Lane asserted her presence in the 45th. She received a quick flick into the penalty area and deftly chipped it past the WCD keeper for the equalizer. The go-ahead goal was postmarked for the corner with no defender but the goalkeeper in sight.
“We had to hustle harder and we get our mind on the right track,” Lane said of the second half. “We were stressing out and freaking out because it was a big game, and we wanted to win. We had to calm our nerves down and go out there and get it done.”
Wayne Country Day head coach Steve Ellis minced few words, noting that his team was not prepared to play.
“That second goal was really good,” Ellis said. “From our standpoint defensively though, we were all over the field. With Morgan’s speed as well and having the wind behind her, she kind of outpaced our back line.”
Both teams took six corner kicks. The Lady Cyclones staved off five corners from Wayne Country Day in the first 40 minutes to keep the match level.
Now, CCS looks to bolster its NCISAA 1-A postseason seeding with a possible CPIC tournament title, just two steps away.
“I think they’re ready,” Mills said. “Not to overlook Christ Covenant, but we’re hoping and looking forward to being in Friday’s (championship) game.”
