Varsity Girls’ Soccer
Mustangs Lose 1-0 to Radford
In State Semifinal Game
By Julie Dorsey
(June 15, 2006)
Last Friday, the varsity girls’ soccer
team made its annual trip down to Radford for the state tournament. The
girls made the four-hour bus ride with much enthusiasm and high hopes to
take home the first place title, however the Mustangs were knocked out
in the semifinals in a 1-0 loss to Radford High School.
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After placing second in the Region
B championship behind their first-place rival Clarke County, Mason
faced the first-place team of Region A, Radford High School, in
the State semifinal game.
The game started off with intensity
from both teams. The score remained 0-0 for much of the first
half, with several shot attempts from each team. Sophomore Rebecca Jackson started in goal for
the Mustangs; however, she injured her ankle after blocking a high
shot, forcing Jackson to step out of the game for 10 minutes. At this point, Lauren Jekowsky stepped in goal
for the Mustangs.
With significantly less game time experience
than Jackson, Lauren saved several difficult shots. She
managed to make a diving save for a far-post shot that nearly went
in, but her extended arms tapped the ball out, resulting in a corner
kick. Radford quickly took the shot from the corner;
Lauren deflected the ball, however it bounced around the box between
Mason defenders and the Radford players, until a Radford key player
was able to smack the loose ball into the back of the net.
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| Freshman
Abby Stroup steals the ball from a Radford offensive player in
Mason’s 1-0 loss to Radford last Friday in the state semifinal
game. |
The score remained 1-0 for the rest of the game, with
Jackson back in goal. The game
continued with intensity until the clock ran out, but unfortunately Mason
could not get a goal in time, resulting in a sooner trip than they had
expected back home for the Mustangs.
For the six seniors on the team, it was particularly
difficult to take in the loss. Captain
and All-District defender Hayley Wood stated after the game, “You don’t
realize how much it hurts to lose your last game until you’re a senior – there
are no more soccer games in your future, and no more state tournaments.”
Although the Mustangs did not bring home the
trophy they desired, the team agrees that the season was filled with success
on many levels. Coach Carroll said
after the game, “You girls did many great things this season; we played
together, won together, and lost together – as a team.” The girls developed a strong bond as the season
progressed, and succeeded in having a lot of fun together – after all,
as senior captain put it, “having fun is one of the most important aspects
of high school sports.”
