Logan Molt clears the ball despite being grabbed and pushed by Charlotte Reilly, of York. (Paula Roberts photo) |
The fourth seed Lincoln Academy girls soccer team (8-3-3) defended its home turf against fifth seed York (7-5-2) 1-0 Oct. 29 under the lights in Newcastle. York brought their solid passing and physical game to town, and the Lady Eagles matched their intensity and sent them packing.
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Sophie Schumacher and Alyx York steal the ball off from York’s Madeline Amidon. (Paula Roberts photo) |
The first half was a whirlwind, as the two teams raced end to end at a fever pitch. The Eagles unleashed 12 shots on net and the Wildcats 11 in the half. Emma Rohrer stopped shots from Lillian Bisset, Ashley Mason, Olivia York, and Sophie Schumacher. At the other end of the field, Miranda Achorn handled 11 York shots to send the game into the halftime break tied at 0-0.
The Eagles scored off a wild scramble on a corner kick with 31:56 to go in the second half. Leslie Sandefur headed the corner kick, which was blocked by York keeper Kelsey Cole.
Olivia York was at the right post, but Cole blocked her offer with the rebound going to the top of the 18. Lillian Bisset was in the right place at the perfect time and booted the ball to the back of the Wildcat net to score the winning goal.
The physical intensity of the game picked up after Lincoln took the lead, as the Wildcats tried to claw their way back. York’s Samantha Robinson drew a yellow card when she kicked Ashley Mason after the play was dead with 22 minutes to play. The tough Lady Eagles held off the physical barrage and circled the wagons on defense.
York socked it in deep into Eagles territory late in the game. Achorn made a diving save at the left post with 8:30 to go. Brie Wajer stopped a rocket of a shot with her chest with 7:40 to play. Achorn stopped a blast with 6:30 left. Alyx York came up big on defense twice in the closing two minutes.
When the dust had settled, Lincoln stood firm with a 1-0 win. York unleashed 31 shots and Lincoln 20 in the physical contest. Achorn made 25 saves in net for the Eagles. Rohrer made 11 saves and Cole six for the Wildcats.
“Miranda (Achorn) is playing the best soccer of her career,” coach Donovan York said of his senior keeper.
“We have been focusing on defense all week. Everybody was helping each other out. We keyed in on making them shoot quickly. The long balls Miranda can handle most of them. Defensively it was such a team effort,” York said.
