HS Girls Soccer: College Park prevails in five-goal match

THE WOODLANDS, TX -- Soccer is The Beautiful Game, but it is also a funny game. Soccer is a game where one team can dominate 98% of the game, but with that 2% the opponent controls, they can drastically change the dynamic of that match with just one shot. That’s the best way to describe the College Park girls soccer team’s 3-2 win over Austin HS on Friday at the Lady Highlander Invitational.

The scoreline really doesn’t tell the full story of this game. Just looking at it makes it sound like a back and forth, five-goal thriller, but it wasn’t. This game was a Lady Cavaliers showcase. The way CP was able to control the midfield and consistently create goal-scoring opportunities made this game look like a team training session.

College Park opened the scoring very early when Channing W. was left with plenty of space to rip a shot into the net just under the bar. It didn’t take long for College Park to add their second of the night. Karli R. caused problems for the Austin backline all night, constantly beating them off the dribble with speed. On this goal, she was able to split the defense, stroll into the box, and casually slot home a low shot into the bottom right corner.

At this point, Austin looked well outmatched, but as any soccer coach, player, or fan will tell you, good things happen when you put shots on goal. The Maroons did just that and were able to get a goal back before halftime after the College Park keeper came off her line and missed the challenge, allowing the ball to slowly roll into an empty net.

In the second half, the field continued to feel slanted with College Park keeping the ball in Austin’s side of the field. The Lady Cavaliers nearly found their third goal on a nice free kick that just grazed the crossbar. However, the free kick magic in this game would belong to Austin HS. The Maroons shocked the crowd with a moonshot of a free kick from far out that seemed to move in slow motion through the air, then suddenly dropped from the sky just under the bar and over the outstretched hands of the keeper to tie the game at two.

Late in the second half, College Park proved once again that good things happen when you put the ball on goal. A cross from Channing W. was whipped into the box, forcing the Austin defender trying to stop a lurking Karli R. on the back post to deflect the ball into her own net to give College Park the game-winning third goal.
College Park will return to the Gosling Sports Complex on Saturday at 8:30 a.m. to take on Reagan HS.