WCDS tops Wayne Christian soccer in penalty kicks
By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on May 8, 2010 11:44 PM
Neither Catherine Ford nor Kim Martell felt too comfortable discussing the penalty-kick scenario during practice on the Wayne Country Day pitch Thursday afternoon.
The two returning starters didn't think they could respond in a pressure-packed situation.
Pish-posh.
Ford delivered the game-winning PK in the shootout session and Martell played phenomenal between the posts, lifting the Chargers past Wayne Christian 2-1 in the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association 1-A women's soccer playoffs Friday afternoon.
Wayne Country Day (11-6-1 overall) continues its postseason journey Tuesday at Trinity-Durham. A game time has not been determined.
The archrivals dueled to a 1-1 draw through 110 exhausting minutes in humid conditions. Players from each team cramped throughout the overtime periods, and water breaks were constant.
Once the coaches submitted their shooting order for the PK to the referee, a little controversy erupted on the Chargers' sideline. Sophomore Mack Thompson pleaded with Hogan to change the lineup and Sterling Coggins offered to give up her spot in the rotation to Ford.
Hogan called Ford over to the sideline, spoke with her briefly and she hustled back to the team huddle near midfield.
"We had a conversation yesterday and Cat said she didn't feel like she could do it," said Hogan. "(The change) was a last-minute decision. The team itself decided that Cat needed to be in there shooting, and I'm going to support my team.
"That was a good team call."
Indeed.
Brooke Barfield converted the Eagles' first PK -- a low shot toward the near post. But Martell (12 saves) turned back the next three shots with diving stops to either her right or left.
The Chargers' Sara Best and Hannah Pearson connected on high shots against Eagles' keeper Katlyn Kosuda, who played brilliant throughout the afternoon. Ford stepped to the line and ripped a low shot that Kosuda just missed to put WCDS in command 3-1.
Martell denied Hannah Pierce's chance to keep Wayne Christian alive, and the Chargers celebrated their third consecutive opening-round, postseason victory.
"This is the closest our girls have come to winning a state playoff game and they played their hearts out," said Wayne Christian coach Daryl Anderson. "It was a dead-even game. As it turned out, this was how I thought it would go. But it didn't turn out like I wanted.
"They did their best ... gave it all they had."
Wayne Christian (6-8-1) grabbed a 1-0 lead just before halftime. Kaylee Wallace fed a great ball to Katie Isenhower, who tucked it away.
Best answered with a game-tying goal just five minutes into the second half.
The teams played on an even keel the remainder of the game, and each missed goal-scoring opportunities. Best had two shots curl wide of the post during the two five-minute, sudden death periods.
"Wayne Christian really brought us a good, strong game," said Hogan. "It's probably one of the greatest games we've played (this season). Everyone we had on the field played strong and tough."
With Ford and Martell leading the way.