Staff Writer
The girls’ varsity soccer team tied its game against the Mayfield Cubs 2-2 in its fourth game in preseason at home. The squad led the game going into the final minutes, but the opponent’s last moment goal forced a tie. This matchup result puts the Tigers’ record at 0-1-3.
The first portion of the game did not yield any points, with both teams exchanging possessions before the Cubs finally added a mark to the scoreboard. A Mayfield player made a long through pass into center field and her teammate broke past the defenders and goalkeeper, firing the ball into the back of the net. The Cubs continued to attack the Tiger defense, but sophomore keeper Sophie Reynolds kept the the shots at bay. The Tigers regained control and pushed the ball up the field. Freshman forward Uma Hornish took a shot on the goal, but the ball flew just wide of the post. South Pasadena continued to control the following possessions, which eventually led to a corner kick. Sophomore forward Emily Dunn took the corner and placed it within the reach of the attacking Tigers, but a Cub defender kicked the ball out of the box. As the ball bounced away from the cluster of players, junior midfielder Megan Wong stepped in and kicked the ball into the upper right corner of the goal, tying the game at one apiece entering the second half.
The Tigers continued their momentum on the field after halftime, showing a renewed sense of determination. The Tiger offense attacked the front field, with several more close attempts before eventually putting up one more goal to take the lead. Freshman forward Samantha Abelson received a through ball and broke away from the surrounding defenders, but as she kicked the ball, the Mayfield goalkeeper charged the ball and knocked it away. Hornish took control of the loose ball and fired a shot past the goalkeeper and into the back of the net, giving South Pasadena the lead. South pasadena remained ahead for most of the half, but the players’ hopes of finishing with their first win of the season were quelled by a Mayfield goal in the final minutes of the game. A Mayfield player made a corner kick pass to a teammate, who then made a short pass to another Cub. As she headed the ball into the goal, she tackled keeper Reynolds. After the game, Reynolds was rushed to the emergency room, showing symptoms of a second degree concussion.
“Everyone worked really hard and we always kept pressuring the ball,” Wong said. “In turn we had a positive outcome.”
The team hopes to finally fill the empty win category in its record in the next home game on Friday, December 11 at home against Bassett High School.
