The ball just couldn’t seem to find the back of the net on Feb. 24 as the girls varsity soccer team played the Piedmont Hills Pirates for the first game of CCS playoffs.
“It was an amazing game,” said sophomore Mackenzie Webb. “Everyone played their hearts out, and it was really unlucky how our shots just didn’t go in.”
The play started off strong after the Pirates kicked off, with the Scots midfield and forward lines quickly pressuring the ball. Both teams had dangerous breakaways within the first ten minutes, and the hard pressure and tackles set the fast, physical pace that defined the game.
The Pirates gained the advantage in the 11th minute when a high cross over the Scots goal box from the Pirates’ left forward dipped and hit the inside of the right goal post. The ball ricocheted wildly off the post and deflected into the net for a goal.
The Pirates didn’t have much time to celebrate, however, before the Scots immediately pressed back for a retaliation. Two Scots seniors kicked off quickly as center midfielder Sage Shamsai made a short pass to center forward Kayla Fong. Fong immediately passed through two Pirates to find the feet of her right forward, freshman Jessie Sanders.
Sanders sprinted downfield with the ball, shaking off defenders and taking a shot. The ball went just wide of the goal, but the Scots were back on their feet.
“I was really proud of how we came back immediately,” said team captain Amelia Armstrong, a senior. “Teams often get down right after being scored on, but we immediately were right back in the game fighting back. That was impressive.”
The Scots had 17 shots on goal throughout the game, while the Pirates fired off 19 with only five on frame. However, this high statistic did not match the results of the game as the Scots struggled to find the back of the net.
Team captain Kayla Fong, a senior, dribbles downfield to press for another attempt on goal.
Sanders and Fong had great success cutting through the Pirates defense despite heavy pressure, getting several dangerous shots off that either went just wide of the posts or were saved by dives from the Pirates keeper. Offensive opportunities were plentiful with Fong feeding Sanders several passes for breakaways before the end of the first half.
Both teams played hard throughout the game, and the intensity never dropped as the Scots continued to fight. The Pirates had several attempts on goal, including two attempts with two or three headers only yards from the Scots’ goal before the ball finally bounced out.
The Scots refused to give up, pressing just as heavily back on the Pirates. A few minutes into the second half, center midfielder Aria Frangos, a senior, pressed through the Pirates defense after a pass from Fong to strike a left-footed shot from outside the box. The ball just missed to hit the outside net of the top left corner, and the Scots continued to press hard for a goal for the rest of the half.
The game ended with a final score of 1-0 to knock the Scots out of CCS, but the team felt reassured by their high level of play against the Pirates.
“They played the best they’ve played all season,” said assistant coach Lindsey Moynihan. “It was disappointing that we lost, but that was the best way to go.”
As a whole, the Scots were happy with their performance as a team in their final game together, if not with the final score.
“We had a tough break today,” said senior Alyssa Fagel, who was a team captain along with Fong and Armstrong. “This was definitely one of our best games, and if we were going to go down, I’m glad we went down fighting and playing the best we can play. Everybody worked really hard, and I’m really happy I got the opportunity to captain such a dedicated and talented team.”
