The Veterans High girls soccer game ends in tie, 1-1

Veterans High girls soccer, like the boys club a defending

region champion, is under a new head coach in Whitney Wallis. It looked as if –

after seeing her team win its debut against Bleckley County – she would taste

defeat for the first time Tuesday at Northside.

Brianna Gomez, however, prevented that from happening when

she punched the ball to the back of an open net with 2:22 remaining in

regulation. Northside’s 1-0 lead evaporated, and the match ended on a 1-1 draw,

the second tie so far in 2013 for the Lady Eagles and coach Ryan Burkhart.

Erin Harbison started in goal for Wallis. She made a leaping

catch four minutes into regulation, and at 34:30 she dove on a low free kick

taken by Lady Eagle center midfielder Anna Maddox from the right sideline.

In goal for Northside was Centara Nulf. In a span of four

minutes she smothered a shot attempt and made a direct save from the foot of

Lady Warhawk Erin Alder, who won a 50-50 ball.

Veterans had more chances inside of 22 minutes when Sarah

Lucas shot high in the box and Aler, from a 50-50 win, went to her right for a

cross saved by Nulf.

Northside’s main attacker was Kelsey Barton, who also played

some tight hustling one-on-one defense. She earned her team the match’s first

corner kick (19:35), but the home team could not score while recovering

Veterans’ clear.

Nulf saved a rocket shot from Aspen Coggins at the 12-minute

mark. The visitors were dominating the 50-50 balls, but had two offside calls

inside of 11 minutes.

Barton scored Northside’s lone goal at 7:49 off passes from

side to side by Taylor Poole and Sara Bedingfield. It was Maddox earning the

possession with a cleanly executed slide tackle. Leading Northside’s other

defensive efforts in the center portion were Jamie Epperson and Rebekah

Patterson.

Veterans’ best attempt at a tie before the half came at 5:37

as Sierra Gomez took a 28-yard free kick wide to the left.

Things got dangerous for the Lady Eagles early in the second

half. Maddox found herself in a bad spot, but was able to clear and allow her

keeper an easy save.

For the last 30 minutes, it was all Veterans in possession

time as Bre Wyatt laid herself out to stop what would be Northside’s final

attack and Kiana Wheeler made a stopping play also dangerously close to the

Lady Warhawk net.

Veterans had two corner kicks cleared by Barton and Maddox.

At 16:45, Maddox had a 30-yard free kick saved, but then her team had a yellow

card seconds later.

After Coggins took a little chip shot saved inside of 10

minutes, the Lady Eagles tried to keep the ball at midfield for a span of seven

minutes. Veterans got the ball close in the final three minutes, and Breanna

Gomez, with a lot of players – including the keeper – down on the grass playing

the ball, came out of the crowd and leveled the score.

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