Cypress Bay, Gibbons, McCarthy, Carrollton girls’ soccer teams advance to state finals
Cypress Bay coach Kate Dwyer made no bones about it before Friday night’s Class 7A soccer state semifinal against Vero Beach at Cypress Bay High School.
With a strong 20-mph wind blowing out of the north, who had the wind in the second half was going to have a big advantage. She was right.
A game locked in a scoreless tie was just 12 minutes away from going to overtime when senior forward Alex Goffi lined up for a corner kick.
Knowing she had the hard wind blowing toward the net, Goffi rifled a perfect arcing hook that got just over the outstretched arms of Vero keeper Mallory Padgett and just inside the top right corner of the net.
“I had taken it before and it curved in and knew when I lined up the second time that if I just hit it a little harder it might go in,” Goffi said. “I knew the wind was very strong and when it left my foot, I had a good hook on it and knew maybe it had a chance. The biggest goal of my life for sure.”
Solid Lightning defense over the final 12 minutes made the goal stand up and Cypress Bay, 22-1 and ranked No. 4 in the nation by Max Preps, had a 1-0 victory and a second consecutive berth in the state-championship game.
What a title game it will be. The Lightning’s opponent, St. John’s Bartram Trail, is one of the three teams ranked ahead of them. The Bears will bring a 20-1-3 record and No. 2 national ranking into the game, which is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m. at Spec Martin Stadium in DeLand.
The irony of Cypress Bay’s goal is that it was that very kind of goal that cost the Lightning the state championship a year ago when Palm Harbor University hit it to beat the Lightning 1-0.
“I knew the wind was going to be a huge factor tonight and I decided before the game that I definitely wanted it in the second half,” Dwyer said. “It was a matter of hanging in there and battling our way through the first 40 minutes when Vero had the wind. Once we did that, I knew that would really lift us going into the second half and that’s exactly what happened. I’m really proud of the girls.”
The Lightning enjoyed a couple of great scoring chances early on in the second half as Megan Morgan not once by twice had breakway one-on-ones but got stopped by Padgett both times.
GIBBONS HEADED BACK TO STATE FINAL
Like Cypress Bay, the Cardinal Gibbons Chiefs came up short in last year’s state championship game and were looking to get back. They’re back.
Gibbons and Merritt Island played 70 minutes-plus of scoreless soccer before the Chiefs knocked in a pair of goals in the 73rd and 76th minutes to knock off the Mustangs 2-0 in a Class 4A state semifinal on Friday night at Gibbons High School.
Sydney Polivka scored off an assist from Madi Cooper to put the Chiefs in front, and three minutes later, Deborah Bien-Aime scored the insurance goal. Keeper Alexis DeVeaux recorded seven saves and recorded her 13th shutout. Gibbons (18-3-4) will take on Jacksonville Bishop Kenny in the 4A state championship game on Wednesday, Feb. 26, at 7 p.m. at Spec Martin Stadium in DeLand.
“Getting to a state championship game is a lot of hard work, so getting back to the game for the second straight year shows just how hard our girls have worked,” Gibbons coach Margo Flack said. “We have no stars on our team. Just girls who know how to play together, and they’ve demonstrated that all year.”
McCARTHY EDGES ESTERO
Just like Cypress Bay and Gibbons, Archbishop McCarthy came up one win short of a state title last year and became the third Broward team to get back to the title game on Friday night following a 2-1 win over Estero in the 5A state semifinal at McCarthy High School.
‘The Mavericks (21-1-2) will take on Ponte Vedra in the 5A title game on Friday, Feb. 28, at 1 p.m. in DeLand.
Kiki Rhee-Osorio scored the Mavericks’ first goal off an assist from Jordyn Pitter three minutes before halftime to give the Mavericks a 1-0 lead at the break. Bella Rocco scored the second goal off an assist from Lili Katz 15 minutes into the second half to make it 2-0. That one turned out to be the game-winner as Estero scored with 15 minutes left to cut the lead in half.
CARROLLTON HEADS TO 3A STATE FINAL
Host Carrollton trailed early, but Natalia Hoadley came to the rescue as she scored three unanswered goals to lead the host Cyclones to a 3-1 victory over Orlando Lake Highland Prep in a 3A state semifinal.
Annie Diaz-Silveira assisted on two of the goals while Nina Boudet had the other.
Carrollton will face defending state champion Jacksonville Bolles in the 3A title game on Wednesday, Feb. 26, at 4 p.m. in DeLand.