Long Reach girls soccer go down early, eventually fall, 3-2, to South Carroll

Stephanie Moy entered the game for Holmes in net and played the remaining 15 minutes, along with the first 23 minutes of the second half.

Long Reach registered just one shot on frame in the opening 40 minutes, despite having four free kicks inside the Cavaliers defensive half, two of which were inside 30-yards, along with one corner kick.

"We don't have a true forward, so every game I'm trying different combinations up top," said Lightning coach Sam Haddad. "But pushing Gabby (Cabrera) up there and pushing Lyric [Swann], I think that gave us a little momentum, and dropping Jessie [Lee] back a little."

Long Reach upped its play in the second half and tallied nine shots on goal, but again could not capitalize on set pieces within its offensive zone, earning six free kicks inside South Carroll's half of the field.

The Cavaliers pushed their cushion up to 3-0 with 32 minutes remaining in the game. Hailey Bar-Haim sent a dangerous cross toward the six-yard box, forcing Moy to come out and make the save. With the slick conditions, the ball slipped out of Moy's grasp and fell to the feet of Rylee Niemann, who was in perfect position to clean up the rebound for South Carroll.

However, the Lightning were not deterred from the large deficit and kept attacking the Cavaliers back line.

Less than a minute after Niemann's goal, Cabrera received a pass just outside South Carroll's 18-yard box. The sophomore midfielder cut the ball inside, got a step on Cavaliers defender Allison Strum, and dribbled toward goal, forcing Strum to make the late tackle inside the box. The referee called the foul and issued a penalty kick, which junior captain Jessie Lee stepped up and buried low left corner for the score.

Long Reach pressed throughout the rest of the half, looking to close on the two-goal gap. With less than two minutes remaining, Busi Sokoya added one more for the Lightning on another penalty kick. But ultimately time expired before Long Reach could add the vital game-tying third goal, resulting in the Cavaliers victory.

"If we did not give up those two early, you know, unlucky goals our team's intensity would have won," Haddad said. "Every game we out-play our opponents in the second half. With all the injuries on the team, even the players that were on the field some of them had bum ankles and all that, but everybody else is stepping up playing hard and that's all I can ask for, to keep playing hard. We're are a depleted team and we're just going to keep playing through the injuries and hopefully we get some of the injured players back toward the end of the season."

Holmes re-entered the game for Moy (four saves) with about 17 minutes remaining and tallied one save for the Lightning, while Christina White played the full 80 minutes for the Cavaliers and finished with six stops – all coming in the second half.

Isacco was happy with his team's defense against the Lightning and credited the play of his two center backs, Lexi Winkler and Sarah Langille, and also the play of midfielder, Megan O'Neill.

"I thought they really stood out. But I think this was a team win though, every one gets credit for this," Isacco added, as he and the Cavaliers get set for their matchup against Boonsboro Tuesday. "We can't feel too good about this because we turn right back around and go out to western Maryland tomorrow night and then we play our first in-county game on Thursday against Winters Mill. It sets a good tone and I'd like to keep this going."

Long Reach – who is decimated with injuries along their roster, which includes junior captain Cam Anderson (knee) – also has a tough task of playing back-to-back games, with the Lightning scheduled to take on Glenelg at home for a 5:30 p.m. matchup Tuesday. Unfortunately they might need to play the Gladiators without Lee, who stepped off the field due to a possible concussion midway through the second half after a hard collision with Winkler.

"We made the adjustments necessary to win the game, but we were in too deep," Haddad added. "I know they just played a tough second half, but I want them to focus on playing the first half tomorrow like they played the second half and maybe we can get one or two in and then maybe rest a little bit, because they've been working really, really hard. It's an unlucky season so far for us, but I'm hoping things will change down the road."

South Carroll (3-3) 3, Long Reach (0-2-1, 0-1-1) 2 (Monday, Sept. 19)

Goals: SC – Chesney, Franklin; Niemann; LR – Je. Lee, Sokoya.

Assists: SC – Bar-Haim

Saves: SC – White 6; LR – Holmes 1; Moy 4.

Halftime: 2-0 South Carroll

Around the league

Atholton (4-1, 2-0) 3, Century 1 (Saturday, Sept. 17)

The Raiders won its third straight game Saturday morning after defeating the hosting Knights, 3-1.

Atholton took a 2-0 lead at the half, after goals from senior Kelley Flynn and junior Sam Clearfield.

Century tallied its lone score of the game in the final 40 minutes, but Ashley Ensor added the Raiders third score as well in the half, while Atholton sophomore Caroline Morton registered an assist in the game.

Bryce Bathras recorded eight saves in the victory for Atholton.

Athotlon is back on the field Tuesday, hosting Hammond for a 5:30 p.m. matchup.

Goals: A – Flynn, Clearfield, Ensor.

Assists: A – Morton.
Saves: A – Bathras 8.

Halftime: 2-0 Atholton.