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| Megan Joyner wins a battle |
It wasn't about the scoreboard Friday night. It was about hard work and competitive spirit. The Panthers came out against Conference opponent Cardinal Gibbons, soccer state champions in 2007 and 3A state finalists in both 2010 and 2011, ready to play competitive soccer for the entirety of the game, regardless of the score, and that they did. The Panthers held the Crusaders scoreless in the first half for over 25 minutes and then held them to only one goal for 38 minutes, until the last two minutes of the first half. Two quick Crusader goals at the end of the first half (one off of a direct kick and the next just moments later) sent the teams to halftime with a score of 3-0.
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| Devon Allen wins one out of the air |
But Junior Natalie Hartmond (shown below) said it best in the halftime huddle when she said to the entire team, "This is the best soccer we've played all season," and she was right. The team was well-organized defensively, winning 50/50 balls out of the air, playing aggressively, and denying the Crusaders scoring opportunities. The first half was exciting and showed the indomitable spirit of this year's Orange High Varsity soccer team.
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| Natalie Hartmond on a break |
The second half was equally hard-fought, and despite their hardest efforts, the Panthers started to show some fatigue. With 2 minutes left in the game, senior and team captain Mia Phillips came off of the field and continued to cheer on and encourage her teammates, despite being down nine goals. The entire team fought tirelessly against the Crusaders, and had a few good scoring chances that started from Natalie Hartmond and Rachel Shinnick before being distributed to outside wingers Tallie Phillips and Ashley Blakemore. Madison Chandler had 25 saves, coming out early to win breakaway plays, punching a few over the crossbar, and distributing the ball quickly and wisely after making saves. The defensive line for the the Panthers played smart & solid soccer, trying to keep the Crusaders' backs to the goal and denying their turning chances.
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| Rachel Shinnick, Player of the Game |
Work ethic and effort was high for all of the players that took the field Friday night, but two players had excellent games and won Player of the Game: Goalkeeper Madison Chandler (shown below right) and midfielder/defender Rachel Shinnick (pictured left). Their tenacious efforts and mental acuity really made them both stand out throughout the game. Freshman addition Shinnick took on (and beat!) multiple Gibbons' defenders, setting up some pretty crosses and passes to Ashley Blakemore along the sideline. There were multiple plays where Shinnick would sprint all the way back from an attacking position to make a defensive stop on the ball.
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| Madison Chandler, Player of the Game |
Notching 25 total saves (more than in all of the previous games combined!), Chandler's resilience and mental toughness were non-stop throughout the entirety of the game. Her communication out of the back was decisive and clear. Both players went home with some well-deserved jellybeans. Great job, Madison and Rachel!
The team gets back on the road to take on Riverside tonight at 6:45 pm.
*A big thanks to Mary Driebeek for the game photos!
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