Lake Norman Charter Outlasts Raleigh Charter in Overtime in
NCHSAA State 1-A Women's Soccer Final
RALEIGH – Lake Norman Charter outlasted Raleigh Charter 6-3 in overtime in a wild back-and-forth North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 1-A women's soccer championship game at Dail Soccer Field at North Carolina State University.
RALEIGH – Lake Norman Charter outlasted Raleigh Charter 6-3 in overtime in a wild back-and-forth North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 1-A women's soccer championship game at Dail Soccer Field at North Carolina State University.
There were four goals in the regulation 80 minutes and then
six goals in overtime, including three in the space of five minutes in the
first extra stanza.
Both teams scored within about 30 seconds of the first
overtime, with sophomore forward Erin Iknayan, who was named the championship
match Most Valuable Player, getting her second goal of the game to put Lake
Norman Charter up 3-2. But moments later Rachel Hammond of Raleigh Charter
knocked home a penalty kick to tie it again.
Madeline Iknayan scored in the 85th minute to put Lake
Norman Charter back in front 4-3, and six minutes later a long shot by Rachel
Quest of the Knights made it 5-3. Then Riley Kane scored her 21st goal of the
season with less than two minutes to go in the second OT for the final tally.
Both teams had a couple of scoring opportunities in the first 40 minutes, but
failed to capitalize as the first half was scoreless.
Then Lake Norman Charter broke the ice in the 47th minute
when Kane tallied with a great individual effort, as the junior forward’s
left-footed shot found the back of the net.
But seconds later, after the ensuing kickoff, junior midfield Alexa Dreyer of
Raleigh Charter lofted a shot high over the keeper to even the score at 1-1.
The Phoenix then took a 2-1 advantage in the 59th minute as
Dreyer delivered a beautiful cross to senior forward Ilana Green, who slammed
it home to put Raleigh Charter ahead.
But Lake Norman Charter responded to deadlock the game at
2-2, which is the way the regulation 80 minutes ended. Erin Iknayan knocked in
the equalizer in the 73rd minute.
Raleigh Charter was in the finals for the third time,
winning the title in 2007 and making its first visit to the finals since 2009,
while Lake Norman Charter played for the title for the first time. Lake Norman
Charter wound up 19-3-3 overall while Raleigh Charter went 20-2.
Swansboro Blanks South Iredell 3-0 in NCHSAA State 2-A
Women's Soccer Final
RALEIGH – Swansboro’s Tylor Ring scored two goals and assisted on a third to lead the Pirates to a 3-0 triumph over South Iredell on Saturday afternoon in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 2-A women's soccer championship game at Dail Soccer Field.
RALEIGH – Swansboro’s Tylor Ring scored two goals and assisted on a third to lead the Pirates to a 3-0 triumph over South Iredell on Saturday afternoon in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 2-A women's soccer championship game at Dail Soccer Field.
Ring, a freshman forward who opened the scoring in the 14th
minute and then scored the final goal of the match, was selected as the
championship match Most Valuable Player.
Swansboro led 1-0 at intermission after Ring’s first goal,
with Brenna Kate Grass assisting, and then in the 56th minute sophomore
Kimberly Moore scored her 40th goal of the season off an assist from Ring for a
2-0 advantage.
In the final minutes, with South Iredell pushing forward,
Ring got a breakaway, took the ball down deep into the box and scored in the
71st minute to salt away the victory.
The victorious Pirates outshot South Iredell 11-6 and had
three corner kicks to one for the Vikings.
Swansboro finished the season with a 23-5-1 record and won its final 10 matches, including outscoring its foes 30-0 in six state playoff matches. The Pirates should also be good in years to come with only two seniors in the starting lineup.
Swansboro finished the season with a 23-5-1 record and won its final 10 matches, including outscoring its foes 30-0 in six state playoff matches. The Pirates should also be good in years to come with only two seniors in the starting lineup.
South Iredell suffered its third loss in 25 outings.
Swansboro was in the finals for the third time in the last
five years and sixth overall, with the Pirates winning state crowns in 2006,
’09 and ’10. South Iredell made its first appearance in the championships after
knocking off previously unbeaten East Bend Forbush 1-0 in the regional round.
Cardinal Gibbons
Rolls Past St. Stephens in NCHSAA State 3-A Women's Soccer Championship
RALEIGH – Christina Gibbons scored a pair of goals to lead
Cardinal Gibbons to a 3-0 victory over Hickory St. Stephens on Saturday
afternoon for the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 3-A
women's soccer championship at Dail Soccer Field at N.C. State University.
Gibbons, a Duke signee who scored five goals in a playoff
game against Burlington Williams earlier in the playoffs, was named Most
Valuable Player of the championship match.
The Crusaders exerted heavy pressure in the first 20 minutes
and tallied just 2:08 into the contest when all-American Morgan Reid found the
back of the net. Then Cardinal Gibbons made it 2-0 in the 11th
minute with a two on one that resulted in a goal by Gibbons.
In the 60th minute, Gibbons dribbled down the
right side and then tucked it into the left corner of the net for the final 3-0
advantage.
The Crusader defense, with senior Kristen Twomey in goal,
recorded its 18th shutout in 25 games. Twomey had five saves as
Gibbons outshot St. Stephens 20-9.
Cardinal Gibbons finished the season 22-2-1 and played for
the NCHSAA women’s soccer championship for the fourth time, winning its second
state crown. The Crusaders won the 2-A title in 2007 and now have an amazing
38-6 record in state playoff competition in the last eight seasons. St.
Stephens made its first appearance in the championship and the Indians ended
the campaign 21-4-2.
Green Hope Blanks
Cornelius Hough 2-0 to Earn NCHSAA State 4-A Women's Soccer Championship
RALEIGH – Cary Green Hope capped a perfect season and
blanked Cornelius W.A. Hough 2-0 on Saturday afternoon to win the North
Carolina High School Athletic Association state 4-A women’s soccer championship
before a large crowd at Dail Soccer Field at North Carolina State University.
Green Hope avenged a loss in last year’s final, as it was a
rematch of last year’s state 4-A title match in which Sarah Moon scored two
goals in the final 11 minutes to lift Hough to a 2-1 victory over Green Hope.
Senior forward Alexis Shaffer, who scored the initial goal
of the game and had an excellent all-around performance, was named the
championship Most Valuable Player.
Green Hope took a 1-0 lead in the 33rd minute
when Shaffer took the ball down the right side, wheeled back to the left and
fired a left-footed shot into the back of the net for her 39th goal
of the season. The Falcons had the better of play for most of the first half.
In the second half, as Hough pressed forward in the final
minutes, Green Hope junior midfielder Kenley Sigmon found the ball in space,
dribbled through a couple of defenders and then buried a shot for the 2-0
margin with 6:34 remaining.
Senior keeper Lisa Armstrong recorded the shutout in goal,
with seven saves.
Green Hope completed a perfect 28-0 season and has not lost
since its defeat in last year’s state championship game. Hough finished the
year 21-3 overall and had a seven-match win streak snapped.
Hough was in the finals for the second straight year in just
the third year of the school’s existence.
The Raleigh Sports Consortium serves as the primary host
city partner for the women's soccer championship, along with the Raleigh
Convention and Visitors Bureau.
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