GIRLS' SOCCER: Gators claim PK shootout over Eagles

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on March 24, 2017 9:59 AM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

SEVEN SPRINGS -- Somehow, with darkness enclosing the Spring Creek soccer pitch, goalkeeper Fernanda Martinez contended she could see her opponents' eyes Thursday evening.

Perhaps she stared into a crystal ball.

Then again, it could have been just blind luck.

Martinez blocked two point-blank shots in heart-stopping fashion and the Gators upended the Eagles 4-2 in a penalty-kick shootout. The Carolina 1-A Conference rivals ended regulation and two overtime sessions knotted at 1-1.

"I hate seeing anything go to penalty-kick shootouts because it doesn't matter who is the better team, it's who gets lucky," first-year SC head coach Jared Miller said. "We just happened to have the luck tonight. It was a great game, both sides...very competitive...a good fight."

The Gators won the coin toss and elected to take the first attempt in each shootout round. Madison Sullivan, Jordan Lane, Bianca Cuevas and Mirna Santiago each converted a goal -- all strikes to the left post against RHS keeper Hannah Daniels, who ended the night with 13 saves.

Sullivan's shot sailed into the upper left 90 of the net.

Payton Lane and Ada Rivera each converted a PK for the Eagles. Martinez saved shots by Rebecca Fitzmaurice and Summer Jones. The second stop sealed the overall outcome with one round left to go.

"I was very surprised," said Martinez, who never flinched when Fitzmaurice delivered a soft, right-footed attempt that floated into her chest.

"I thought it was going to go either left or right. My heart started pounding. I was so nervous. The fourth shot, I just followed where her (Jones) eyes went."

Martinez finished with seven saves.

The Gators (5-4-0 overall, 4-1-0 CC) claimed their third win in their last four meetings against the Eagles, who lead the overall series 6-3 since 2013.

"It is a bit of a lottery," second-year RHS head coach Kevin Martin said of the shootout.

"It is tough. It's not nice, especially for the girls who missed, but overall I'm pleased with the way they played."

Rosewood (4-4-0, 3-1-0) employed a solid defensive structure that the Gators couldn't break down. SC strikers couldn't find any room to generate consistent movement toward the goal and attempted just two shots on frame.

The game was scoreless until Hannah Rhodes raced past two SC defenders to track down a loose ball just outside the 18-yard box. Lane followed on the play and received the pass in open space.

The senior ripped a right-footed shot that deflected off Martinez's gloves and into the back left corner. It was Lane's team-leading eighth goal of the season.

Eagles 1, Gators 0 -- a mere 3 seconds left before the break.

Rosewood opted to extend its defense to preserve its advantage in the second half. Play became physical and eventually led to a PK by Spring Creek after Sullivan got taken down in the box -- a call that drew Martin's ire from the bench.

Sullivan converted the shot with 14:47 left in regulation.

The ref explained to Martin that Sullivan had been clipped by an Eagle defender.

"Disappointed to give that," Martin said.