Epiphany shuts out WCDS in girls' soccer

By Allen Etzler
Published in Sports on April 24, 2014 1:48 PM

• Print
• Email

The Wayne Country Day soccer team experienced the same problem against Epiphany that it has experienced all year.

The Chargers just couldn't score.

They dominated possession, took more shots and looked like the better team for much of the 80 minutes. However, they couldn't find the back of the net and lost 1-0 in Coastal Plains Independent 1-A/2-A Conference play on Wednesday afternoon.

The Chargers spent the first 20 minutes in full attack mode in their offensive third of the field. They crossed balls from out wide to the middle, they tried to chip the ball into the box, they tried taking Epiphany defenders one-on-one.

It was all for naught. They couldn't complete the last touch or the last pass to register a chance on goal. Wayne Country Day has been held to one goal or less in seven of 10 games this spring.

"That's sort of been the problem all season, getting the last touch for the goal, we just can't break through," Chargers coach Steven Ellis said.

Defense and goalkeeping have been the Chargers' strong point all season. Goalie Bailee Creeger entered the game with seven shutouts and it looked like she would post another clean sheet for most of the first half against Epiphany.

But, in the 24th minute, eighth-grade midfielder Marie Iesley Person struck.

A clearing attempt by the Chargers went awry and the ball settled directly on Person's foot outside of the 18-yard box. She took one touch and launched a lofting shot at the goal. The ball hung up in the wind, floated through the air and just skimmed the crossbar before going into the net.

There was nothing Creger could do.

Epiphany (9-1-1 overall, 8-0-0 CPIC) had two more chances the rest of the game, but Creger was stout in goal making great saves. She made a point-blank glove save and batted another shot from long distance away from the net.

"I thought she did well to even get hand on it there. That was big," said Ellis.

But not quite big enough as the Chargers (5-3-2, 4-2-1) never buried the equalizer. Striker Margaret Tanner and company tried valiantly in the last four minutes as they got six runs to the net as Epiphany sweeper -- and captain -- Katie Laguardia thwarted every effort on goal.