HPCA soccer settles for scoreless tie BY MICHAEL LINDSAY
ENTERPRISE SPORTS WRITER
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HIGH POINT — Even though it didn’t quite get the win it wanted, High Point Christian continued to make tremendous strides.
The Cougars created numerous second-half opportunities but settled for a scoreless tie against visiting Charlotte Christian in nonconference girls soccer Monday at the High Point Athletic Complex’s Ray Correll-John Morris Field.
“I thought we had the better chances in the second half, and the ball just didn’t bounce our way,” HPCA coach Austin Beck said. “That’s the nature of the game sometimes. I thought we did play well in the second half, but we’ve got to have a faster start and be sharp from the start. And we let ourselves down with that.
“At halftime, we just talked about giving more effort. There was a lot of walking in the first half, no communication — just kind of laziness. And we talked about it at halftime: That’s not who we are, that’s not how we play the game, and we need to pick it up. And I thought we did that for sure.”
The Cougars (6-2-1 overall), coming off two victories in Wilmington over spring break, started slow in the first half but amped up their energy in the second half, leading to attempt after attempt in the final third.
But for all that went well building up to its opportunities, HPCA couldn’t find a way to break through and score as passes were broken up, shots were defended well and several golden chances were somehow cleared away.
The Cougars, who got nine saves from goalkeeper Nadia Threatt, had many good looks in the second half, but perhaps their best came inside the final two minutes. Pushing forward, they had a flurry of close chances in front — including one that was cleared off the line — but just couldn’t score.
“It was good, but it’s fr ustrating when we have so many shots on frame and there were like five people in the box and it just doesn’t go in,” junior forward McKenzie Mathis said. “... Overall, I thought we had a pretty decent second half. If we’d just had a better first half, then maybe we would’ve had a better result.”
But still it didn’t dampen what has been the best start for the team under Beck, who’s in his fourth season coaching the girls. HPCA’s losses have been against Nor th Raleigh Christian and Southwest Guilford — both of which were tight games against good teams.
So, with PACIS 2A/3A play approaching next week following a nonconference game today at Forsyth Home Educators, the Cougars look to continue playing well into conference play — which will begin Tuesday against rival Wesleyan Christian at the Complex — and into the state tournament toward the end of May.
“I think that this has been the best start HPCA soccer has had,” said senior center midfielder Jamie Fankhauser, a Charlotte recruit. “We just need to get better and better each game. We’re going to have some tough opponents ahead, and I think these early season games will have us ready.
“We’ve definitely had building season after building season, and it’s good to finally be able to sit down and say, ‘We want to do this, this and this. We want to get wins, we want to have this happen.’ And especially since it’s my last season, I definitely want to leave a good mark on the program.
ENTERPRISE SPORTS WRITER
.
HIGH POINT — Even though it didn’t quite get the win it wanted, High Point Christian continued to make tremendous strides.
The Cougars created numerous second-half opportunities but settled for a scoreless tie against visiting Charlotte Christian in nonconference girls soccer Monday at the High Point Athletic Complex’s Ray Correll-John Morris Field.
“I thought we had the better chances in the second half, and the ball just didn’t bounce our way,” HPCA coach Austin Beck said. “That’s the nature of the game sometimes. I thought we did play well in the second half, but we’ve got to have a faster start and be sharp from the start. And we let ourselves down with that.
“At halftime, we just talked about giving more effort. There was a lot of walking in the first half, no communication — just kind of laziness. And we talked about it at halftime: That’s not who we are, that’s not how we play the game, and we need to pick it up. And I thought we did that for sure.”
The Cougars (6-2-1 overall), coming off two victories in Wilmington over spring break, started slow in the first half but amped up their energy in the second half, leading to attempt after attempt in the final third.
But for all that went well building up to its opportunities, HPCA couldn’t find a way to break through and score as passes were broken up, shots were defended well and several golden chances were somehow cleared away.
The Cougars, who got nine saves from goalkeeper Nadia Threatt, had many good looks in the second half, but perhaps their best came inside the final two minutes. Pushing forward, they had a flurry of close chances in front — including one that was cleared off the line — but just couldn’t score.
“It was good, but it’s fr ustrating when we have so many shots on frame and there were like five people in the box and it just doesn’t go in,” junior forward McKenzie Mathis said. “... Overall, I thought we had a pretty decent second half. If we’d just had a better first half, then maybe we would’ve had a better result.”
But still it didn’t dampen what has been the best start for the team under Beck, who’s in his fourth season coaching the girls. HPCA’s losses have been against Nor th Raleigh Christian and Southwest Guilford — both of which were tight games against good teams.
So, with PACIS 2A/3A play approaching next week following a nonconference game today at Forsyth Home Educators, the Cougars look to continue playing well into conference play — which will begin Tuesday against rival Wesleyan Christian at the Complex — and into the state tournament toward the end of May.
“I think that this has been the best start HPCA soccer has had,” said senior center midfielder Jamie Fankhauser, a Charlotte recruit. “We just need to get better and better each game. We’re going to have some tough opponents ahead, and I think these early season games will have us ready.
“We’ve definitely had building season after building season, and it’s good to finally be able to sit down and say, ‘We want to do this, this and this. We want to get wins, we want to have this happen.’ And especially since it’s my last season, I definitely want to leave a good mark on the program.
