Nalls scores overtime winner, pushing Glenelg girls soccer past Wilde Lake

"I thought we did pretty well this game," said Wildecats coach Megan Shea. "I saw improvement from a lot of individual players. At this point our goal is just to improve every game and I think we're doing that. Obviously there are some areas we still need to work on, but I do think we are improving in certain areas."

Wilde Lake had a prime opportunity late in the first half as well, coming off a Lily Dunbar corner. The sophomore played a good ball in the box, forcing Glenelg goalkeeper Alyssa Henderson to come out and make the save. Henderson steered away the initial cross, but the deflection was played out, finding the feet of Julianna Bonner. Bonner put a solid shot on frame, but Gladiators midfielder Courtney Renehan alertly defended the goal line and deflected the shot out. Renehan then stepped in front of two more Wilde Lake attempts and eventually won a goal kick for her team, defusing the dangerous situation in the box.

"I press that every day, just give a 100 percent effort," Shearer said. "I mean it's something it's hard to coach. You either have it or you don't and luckily this group of girls has it and it's a fun group to be apart of. They have a drive. They saw what happened last year and they want it different, so it's good. It's a good result for us. We're very pleased."

The Wildecats put the game's first goal on the board with about 18 minute left in the second half. Bonner played a ball over the top in the box. Henderson came off her line to scoop up the loose ball, but senior Sahar Zoghi beat her to the ball, took a touch around Henderson and placed her shot far corner for the score.

The lead lasted shortly for Wilde Lake, however, as the Gladiators tied the game up about one minute later.

Hope Grzebien was credited for the score, as the sophomore sent a corner kick near post, which deflected off of the hands of Hutchison, then the back heel of the Wildecats front post defender and in to the net for the goal.

"That is one of the most common things to happen in soccer – to have one team score and then have another team score right after that," Shea said. "So it's always difficult to collect your composure again and we just kind of got caught off guard real quick and that's what happens."

Both defenses played stout to end regulation, holding the 1-1 tie. Glenelg edged Wilde Lake slightly with shots on target (16-12) with Hutchison and Henderson each tallying eight saves a piece in the game.

Play continued back-and-forth within the first few minutes of overtime, until Nalls' goal sealed the game for the Gladiators, who upped their record to 4-0 overall and 2-0-2 in county play thus far.

"I feel like whenever you get down by a goal, you just really need to get back on your feet and respond as quickly as possible. I think that's what we really tried to do and we really worked together to make it happen," Nalls said. "I feel really excited and proud of the whole team. I feel like we really worked together to put that together, and Bethany with the through ball – it really just worked well together."

It's been a tough stretch of games for the Wildecats (1-4, 1-3), losing their last three matches, all in overtime. But Shea was confident in her group and said she has seen improvements with each contest.

"Obviously that last goal was tough to lose on. It was one of those – kind of weird situation at the end there," she said. "So that just makes it even worse, especially because this is our third overtime loss in a row. We're getting close we just need to learn how to finish games out."

Wilde Lake will try and bounce back on Sept. 27 at Howard, while Glenelg stay home and face Reservoir.

Glenelg (4-0-2, 2-0-2) 2, Wilde Lake (1-4, 1-3) 1 OT (Friday, Sept. 23)

Goals: G – Grzebien, Nalls; WL – Zoghi.

Assists: G – Stewart.

Saves: G – Henderson 8; WL – Hutchison 8.

Halftime: 0-0.

Around the league:

River Hill (3-2-1, 2-1-1) 1, Long Reach (0-2-3, 0-2-2) 0 (Friday, Sept. 23)

The Hawks bounced back from their loss against Centennial with a 1-0 win over the visiting Lightning Friday night.

River Hill did not allow Long Reach a shot on net in the game, and finally took the lead with 28 minutes left in the first half.

Freshman Chelsea Baker was the beneficiary, finishing on a pass from freshman Sophia Elguera.

Riley Holmes registered one save, while Stephanie Moy tallied four stops for Long Reach.

The Hawks and Lightning are back on the field Sept. 27, with River Hill hosting Oakland Mills and Long Reach taking on Hammond. Both games scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

Goals: RH – Baker.

Assists: RH – Elguera.

Saves: LR – Holmes 1, Moy 4.

Halftime: 1-0, River Hill.

Century 3, Marriotts Ridge (2-3-2, 2-1-1) 0 (Friday, Sept. 23)

Goals: C – Davis 2, Morrison.

Assists: C – Wagner.

Saves: C – Basso 1; MR – 7.

Halftime: 2-0, Century.