Photo Credit: Mrs. Joyner.[/caption]Friday, May 2, the Lady Panther soccer teams played the Northwood Chargers at OHS. The JV game kicked off at 5 pm and varsity followed at 6:45 pm. It was a perfect 70 degree night for an intense match against a new conference rival. Despite the ideal conditions and packed stands, the Panthers weren’t able to pull through with a victory.
The JV team was prepared for another close game against Northwood, after coming close to a victory in their previous game. Being evenly matched, the ball was possessed by both teams for most of the half. However, midway through, the Chargers went up by one goal, due to a miscommunication between the goalie and center-mid on the Orange team. Thinking the ball was out of bounds, Aaron Collins passed the ball back to the keeper for a goal kick, who let it slip behind her. Aside from the keeper error, the Panthers had a clean game and finished the half with a score of 1-0. By the start of the second half, the Panthers were determined to come back. Lexi Mignosa, starting center-mid for OHS, controlled the ball and drove it up the field. Despite the tenacity that the Panthers showed, the Northwood forwards were too much for their backline, and the Chargers scored two quick goals, ending the game with a 3-0 victory. Mileah Shriner, one of the goalies for Orange, said, “Everyone played really hard. It was a good game.”
Following the JV game, the varsity team came out seeking revenge for their previous matchup against Northwood where they suffered a defeat 3-0. The game was evenly matched and tied at 0-0 for the majority of the half. But with about 20 minutes left in the half, #13 for Northwood, Haley Piester, received a long ball over the top of the Panther’s backline and scored on a breakaway, making the score 1-0 in favor of the Chargers at halftime. The score, however, did not accurately reflect the first half, with the Panthers keeping the majority of the possession and controlling the ball on the Chargers’ defensive side. At the end of the half, the Panthers had three shots on frame, but were unable to finish any of them. At the start of the second half, the game was evenly matched with both teams possessing it on both halves of the field. However, near the middle of the second half, the Panthers broke down and allowed five more goals to slip through. The Chargers finished with a conference win, 6-0 over the Lady Panthers. The outcome did not match up with the level of play. Until the Panthers broke down in the back, the game was fairly even, with the Panthers having most of the possession.
This game was the last one for senior Tallie Philips, who will be unable to attend senior night. She had a great season as an outside defender, holding the team up and making the defense impenetrable. She was not only a huge asset, but a team captain that led the team as they progressed throughout the season. She plans to take a semester or two off after she graduates high school to travel abroad in Europe with her older sister, Mia Philips. She then hopes to attend Alamance Community College and later transfer to a larger university.
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