U-High rides early goals over Runnels
Third-seeded University Lab School got all the scoring they needed in the first 10 minutes, then held off a scrappy young Runnels team for the next 70 minutes for a 2-0 win in the Division IV-2A girls soccer quarterfinals on Monday.
The home win at Jeff Boss Field at Richard Gill-Cubs Stadium moves the Cubs into the semifinals against Episcopal, a 3-1 winner over Loyola. That semifinal game will be the rubber match between the two teams, who have split in two games this year.
U-High (18-1-2) scored off a corner kick in the fifth minute and a counter-attack in the 10th minute to take a 2-0 lead.
The first goal came when the corner kick flew into the box, grazed the head of a U-High player and glanced to Lauren McKowen, who volleyed it in from just outside the left post.
The second goal came after the Cubs reversed a short punt into the wind by Runnels goalkeeper Samantha Roberson and floated the ball to Annabell Simpson, who again played the ball out of the air high into the back of the net.
Neither side could score again thanks to rugged defense from both teams and stellar goalkeeping by U-High’s Elizabeth Bankhead (five saves) and Roberson (eight saves)
U-High coach Melissa Ramsey gave credit to everyone in every aspect of the game for the Cubs, even praising the substitutes on the sideline who added spirit to their efforts.
“Everyone on this field plays a role, but we look to Lauren (McKowen) and Annabell (Simpson) for their leadership, Ramsey said. “Today, Lauren solidified our midfield and was our playmaker, and we look to Annabell to be our goal scorer.”
On defense, Ramsey’s plaudits went to Katie Sands and Bankhead.
“Katie marked Rahliat (Animashaun) and took her out of her game and I was proud of that,” she said. “Rahliat is a very special player. My goalkeeper is an eighth-grader who’s just amazing. She doesn’t play like an eighth-grader.”
Although they lacked the overall consistency of U-High, Runnels mounted a few quality attacks.
The Lady Raiders’ best chances came in the last six minutes of the game. Animashaun got off a powerful blast from in front of the goal that Bankhead had to save, and Erin Dean had a quality attempt that was wide right of the goal.
The lineup for Runnels ((15-4-3) was loaded with freshmen and sophomores who were making their first quarterfinal appearance, along with starting eighth-graders Jessica Shelby and Lindsy Scalzo, but coach Marvin Smith did not think experience was the main factor in the game.
“They had a great game plan and they stuck with it,” Smith said. “We didn’t really test their back line tonight. They did a nice job defensively. You could tell whenever we attacked they had two or three players behind the ball.
“When you get down to games like this, it’s more about desire, and it’s obvious in their play tonight they wanted it more than we did,” he said. “Overall I didn’t think we played well tonight.”
The exuberant Ramsey called the win a milestone in her tenure at U-High.
“I’ve been here three years and the last two years we’ve been to the quarterfinals and got killed,” she said. “It’s my first time in the semis as a coach, and the first time for the players on this field. All the hard work they’ve been doing is starting to pay off.”