Cypress Bay girls’ soccer state championship drought continues after loss to Lake Mary

Cypress Bay will just have to wait a little longer.

Cypress Bay’s bid to win its first girls’ soccer state championship fell short with a 2-0 loss against Lake Mary on Friday at Lake Myrtle Sports Complex.

“We are like family,” Cypress Bay senior Gabriella Sussman said. “I’ve been with this team for four years and it’s a team like no other. We get to connect. We get it done. We are best friends. It’s just chemistry and this being the end is just a really sad time but it’s a great time because I got to play with them.”

The Lightning have reached the state championship game seven times but have settled for the state runners-up trophy on all occasions.

“We definitely had a harder route (to reach the state finals) this time,” said Cypress Bay coach Kate Dwyer, now in her 19th season with the program. “We had the top three in our region from the top 10 in the state.”

Despite navigating through a rugged playoff schedule, Dwyer wasn’t surprised her team reached the state championship game.

“Did I know we had a good quality chance? Yes. Did I know that 12 seniors and 13 underclassmen would become all best friends? No. But to me that is more important,” Dwyer said.

Lake Mary pumped in two first-half goals and then utilized its stingy defense to hold Cypress Bay (18-2-1) scoreless.

Senior Lindsay Sheets scored the first goal off a corner kick for Lake Mary and then junior Ava McKay added the second with just seconds remaining in the first half.

“We knew about their set pieces and we thought we were prepared for that, but we weren’t,” Dwyer said. “Once they got up we just got all out of sorts.

“The second half was a phenomenal second half for us. We didn’t have great-quality chances but we dominated. I’m not OK with the outcome but I’m OK with how we stepped up and played as a team knowing that we were down 2-0.”

Lake Mary coach Christian Eissele said the win was all about defense.

“We’ve said it all year, defense wins championships. Our defending was incredible,” Eissle said.