Own goal is Warriors' undoing in loss
By From staff reports
Published in Sports on May 11, 2011 1:46 PM
All it took was one mistake.
West Brunswick scored the game's only goal on an own goal off a corner kick and defeated Eastern Wayne 1-0 in the first round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A girls' soccer playoffs on Tuesday evening in New Hope.
Gracie Young's corner kick deflected off a Warriors' player and into the back of the net in the 74th minute.
"It's a bit disappointing," said Eastern Wayne head coach Jorg Wagner. "The competition was about even. We really didn't create enough in the front. I just thought offensively we were a little sluggish. We should be able to overcome giving up one goal."
Neither team created many quality scoring chances.
The Warriors (12-6-0) couldn't convert on a corner kick in the 19th minute. Moments later, Emily Kaspar's shot was saved by Trojans' keeper Meg Fletcher.
Eastern Wayne held a 3-1 advantage in shots on goal in the first half.
A corner kick went by the wayside for the Warriors in the 58th minute. Eastern Wayne's Ann Reed Hulse sent a cross through the 18-yard box to Jordan Jackson in the 60th minute. Jackson's shot was saved by Fletcher.
"That's a very difficult ball to control," said Wagner. "Jordan is coming into that position off a pretty long run from the outside midfield. She might be a little gassed and not aware of where the keeper is."
The Warriors' last scoring opportunity came in the 79th minute. Lindsay Underwood's free kick from outside the 18-yard box went wide of the goal, bounced off teammate Janielle Daniel and rolled out of bounds.
After defeating Charles B. Aycock 2-1 in Friday night's Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference tournament finals, Eastern Wayne appeared sluggish and lacked emotion on Tuesday.
"It's very difficult after you beat your rival," said Wagner. "We win the conference championship, and maybe emotionally we're a little bit spent and you get a little bit sluggish. Maybe that was part of it."