Wesleyan soccer edges Bishop, 4-3
Michael Lindsay | Enterprise Sports Writer Apr 27, 2021 Updated 7 hrs ago
KERNERSVILLE — Wesleyan Christian raced ahead, then held on as Bishop McGuinness very nearly caught up.
The Trojans, keyed by speedy Kayla Burroughs, scored the first three goals of the match, fended off the Villains’ late rally within one, and won 4-3 in a meeting of two of the area’s top girls soccer teams Monday at Bishop’s George L. Repass Memorial Field.
“We played very well first half — offensively, we moved the ball,” Wesleyan coach Sarah Denton said. “Second half they brought the momentum to us. We had to really pack it in and play a defensive game. They’re a great team and, honestly, were beating us in areas we weren’t covering like we need to.
“I thought the girls responded to the game plan. It was just kind of packing it in and being defensive — all respect to them. Our girls did well to absorb it. We knew they’d come out hot and they did a great job — great coaching. We had to weather the storm and survive.”
Burroughs, making long runs upfield through the defense, scored three goals and had one assist to lead the Trojans (11-1), ranked No. 23 in the state overall and No. 5 among NCISAA 4A teams by MaxPreps. Caroline Heywood also had a goal and an assist while Sydney Peele had an assist.
“We definitely played with a lot of grit,” said Burroughs, a senior forward who has signed with UNC Wilmington. “We started off on top and obviously Bishop kept coming back. So, we really had to fight as hard as we could at the end.”
Emily Silva scored three goals for the Villains (11-2), who are ranked No. 59 in the state overall and No. 4 among NCHSAA 1A teams. Anna Krawczyk added an assist as Bishop, which had a 27-8 shot advantage, scored midway through the first half and twice in the second half to pull within a goal each time.
Bishop, which pressured well for much of the match and had numerous good opportunities that either missed or were stopped, had its best chance to even the match in the 78th minute. It drew a penalty kick following a foul in the penalty area. But Wesleyan stopped the kick and held on in the final minutes.
“We didn’t play very well at the beginning,” said Villains coach Ray Alley, who shifted his defense to stop Burroughs. “We got down and came back and it was kind of like the South Stokes game when we got behind and came back. We had a chance to tie this game. They’ve got a good team, good players.
“We started to shut them down defensively, and it gave us confidence. Emily Silva … she’s going to play in the ACC (at Wake Forest), and she doesn’t have to take a backseat to anybody. We have South Stokes again. That’s not a game we have to win, but it’s a game we need to win, especially coming off of this.”
The Trojans opened the scoring in the third minute when Heywood, staying onside along the backline, took a pass from Burroughs following a long run and chipped a shot over the goalkeeper.
Burroughs then made another long run up the right side in the 11th minute and scored. She added another in the 19th minute off a long run up the right side, working her way through the defense, for a 3-0 lead.
“I think they didn’t really know our players yet,” Burroughs said. “So, we were able to pass around them and get some pretty good breakaways early on until they were able to figure out how to play against us.”
Silva fought through the defense and scored in the 25th minute to bring Bishop within 3-1 into halftime. She added another in the 56th minute when she won the ball, stepped to the right and fired a shot inside the left post.
Burroughs, however, extended Wesleyan’s lead back out in the 59th minute. Following a handball call near the top-right corner of the penalty area, Peele arced a free kick toward the left post and Burroughs knocked it in.
But the Villains answered in the 65th minute when, immediately following one corner kick, Silva headed in another corner kick from Krawczyk to pull within a goal once again.
Bishop, which caught a break in the 67th minute when Burroughs received a yellow card and stayed off for the remainder of the game, created a flurry of chances near the goal over the final 10 minutes.
None looked better than when the Villains drew a foul in the 78th minute and stepped up to take the kick. But goalkeeper Kloe Totel made the stop and the Wesleyan defense kept the ball out the rest of the way.
“I just knew that, no matter what, it couldn’t go in the back of the goal,” said Totel, a senior. “So, it was just: Whatever I have to do, whatever I could get on it I just had to.
“That was the best feeling ever. That’s the first PK I’ve stopped in a game, so it was just a really good feeling. And the team was there to celebrate with me.”
The Villains, who won the Northwest 1A Conference, will visit South Stokes Wednesday to conclude their regular season prior to starting the NCHSAA 1A playoffs, which will be seeded this weekend.
The Trojans will next play in the NCISAA playoffs, which will be seeded this weekend. So earning a hard-fought victory against a good team was a big boost for Wesleyan’s confidence heading into the playoffs.
“I think tonight just shows how we can work,” Totel said. “Even when we’re not at our best, we can rally together and have each other’s back and have our teamwork push us through.”
“It’s great,” Burroughs added. “We came out and put our all into beating a team — they’re a great team and it was a competitive game. Going into the playoffs, it really gives our team a sense of optimism.”
mlindsay@hpenews.com | 336-888-3526 | @HPEmichael
Michael Lindsay | Enterprise Sports Writer Apr 27, 2021 Updated 7 hrs ago
KERNERSVILLE — Wesleyan Christian raced ahead, then held on as Bishop McGuinness very nearly caught up.
The Trojans, keyed by speedy Kayla Burroughs, scored the first three goals of the match, fended off the Villains’ late rally within one, and won 4-3 in a meeting of two of the area’s top girls soccer teams Monday at Bishop’s George L. Repass Memorial Field.
“We played very well first half — offensively, we moved the ball,” Wesleyan coach Sarah Denton said. “Second half they brought the momentum to us. We had to really pack it in and play a defensive game. They’re a great team and, honestly, were beating us in areas we weren’t covering like we need to.
“I thought the girls responded to the game plan. It was just kind of packing it in and being defensive — all respect to them. Our girls did well to absorb it. We knew they’d come out hot and they did a great job — great coaching. We had to weather the storm and survive.”
Burroughs, making long runs upfield through the defense, scored three goals and had one assist to lead the Trojans (11-1), ranked No. 23 in the state overall and No. 5 among NCISAA 4A teams by MaxPreps. Caroline Heywood also had a goal and an assist while Sydney Peele had an assist.
“We definitely played with a lot of grit,” said Burroughs, a senior forward who has signed with UNC Wilmington. “We started off on top and obviously Bishop kept coming back. So, we really had to fight as hard as we could at the end.”
Emily Silva scored three goals for the Villains (11-2), who are ranked No. 59 in the state overall and No. 4 among NCHSAA 1A teams. Anna Krawczyk added an assist as Bishop, which had a 27-8 shot advantage, scored midway through the first half and twice in the second half to pull within a goal each time.
Bishop, which pressured well for much of the match and had numerous good opportunities that either missed or were stopped, had its best chance to even the match in the 78th minute. It drew a penalty kick following a foul in the penalty area. But Wesleyan stopped the kick and held on in the final minutes.
“We didn’t play very well at the beginning,” said Villains coach Ray Alley, who shifted his defense to stop Burroughs. “We got down and came back and it was kind of like the South Stokes game when we got behind and came back. We had a chance to tie this game. They’ve got a good team, good players.
“We started to shut them down defensively, and it gave us confidence. Emily Silva … she’s going to play in the ACC (at Wake Forest), and she doesn’t have to take a backseat to anybody. We have South Stokes again. That’s not a game we have to win, but it’s a game we need to win, especially coming off of this.”
The Trojans opened the scoring in the third minute when Heywood, staying onside along the backline, took a pass from Burroughs following a long run and chipped a shot over the goalkeeper.
Burroughs then made another long run up the right side in the 11th minute and scored. She added another in the 19th minute off a long run up the right side, working her way through the defense, for a 3-0 lead.
“I think they didn’t really know our players yet,” Burroughs said. “So, we were able to pass around them and get some pretty good breakaways early on until they were able to figure out how to play against us.”
Silva fought through the defense and scored in the 25th minute to bring Bishop within 3-1 into halftime. She added another in the 56th minute when she won the ball, stepped to the right and fired a shot inside the left post.
Burroughs, however, extended Wesleyan’s lead back out in the 59th minute. Following a handball call near the top-right corner of the penalty area, Peele arced a free kick toward the left post and Burroughs knocked it in.
But the Villains answered in the 65th minute when, immediately following one corner kick, Silva headed in another corner kick from Krawczyk to pull within a goal once again.
Bishop, which caught a break in the 67th minute when Burroughs received a yellow card and stayed off for the remainder of the game, created a flurry of chances near the goal over the final 10 minutes.
None looked better than when the Villains drew a foul in the 78th minute and stepped up to take the kick. But goalkeeper Kloe Totel made the stop and the Wesleyan defense kept the ball out the rest of the way.
“I just knew that, no matter what, it couldn’t go in the back of the goal,” said Totel, a senior. “So, it was just: Whatever I have to do, whatever I could get on it I just had to.
“That was the best feeling ever. That’s the first PK I’ve stopped in a game, so it was just a really good feeling. And the team was there to celebrate with me.”
The Villains, who won the Northwest 1A Conference, will visit South Stokes Wednesday to conclude their regular season prior to starting the NCHSAA 1A playoffs, which will be seeded this weekend.
The Trojans will next play in the NCISAA playoffs, which will be seeded this weekend. So earning a hard-fought victory against a good team was a big boost for Wesleyan’s confidence heading into the playoffs.
“I think tonight just shows how we can work,” Totel said. “Even when we’re not at our best, we can rally together and have each other’s back and have our teamwork push us through.”
“It’s great,” Burroughs added. “We came out and put our all into beating a team — they’re a great team and it was a competitive game. Going into the playoffs, it really gives our team a sense of optimism.”
mlindsay@hpenews.com | 336-888-3526 | @HPEmichael
