ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, May 21, 1996 TAG: 9605210086
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOHN MONTGOMERY SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES
THE PATRIOTS defeat E.C. Glass 3-2 to pick up their first-ever triumph in Northwest Region play.
The third meeting this season between E.C. Glass and Patrick Henry's girls' soccer teams was no charm for the Hilltoppers; they lost for the third time.
But the come-from-behind 3-2 victory in the opening round of the Northwest Region tournament played Monday night at Cave Spring Junior High School was especially meaningful for PH. It marked the Patriots' first-ever win in regional play.
The Patriots, who improved their season record to 15-1, will play Albemarle in Wednesday's regional semifinals at Cave Spring Junior High. Albemarle nipped Cave Spring 1-0 in Monday's opening round.
``This win was a squeaker,'' said Patriots coach Sharon McCulley, who has coached Patrick Henry for seven seasons. ``They played us tough, and it was hot. I think that we were lucky tonight that we had more subs.''
PH never led Monday until Anni Eure scored on an assist from Shannon Harman with less than two minutes to play.
Glass completed its season 12-4-1, with every loss but one coming to the Patriots.
``I thought we did very well this season considering this is a second-year program,'' said Hilltoppers coach Darien McClurg. ``Last year, PH beat us 8-0; this year, the scores were 1-0, 4-2, and 3-2. We matched up really well with them tonight.''
The Hilltoppers list 10 freshmen and 10 sophomores on their 30-player roster. ``We only start one senior and two juniors,'' McClurg said.
Glass took the lead nine minutes into the game when Hilltopper sophomore Ellen Sanders, the Western District player of the year, beat PH goalkeeper Carolyn Hodges with a high kick to the upper right corner of the goal from 30 yards out.
``We felt we could exploit their goalie up high,'' McClurg said.
The Patriots tied the score late in the first half when leading scorer Carrie Moore fed Christen Pendleton from out-of-bounds, and Pendleton found Keri Kidd for the goal.
Slightly more than nine minutes into the second half, Sanders scored her 18th goal of the season, this time on an unassisted breakaway. Moore again tied the score, beating her defender and Glass goalkeeper Blair Lollis - a freshman - with 22:59 left.
``I couldn't believe it went it,'' Moore said. ``I had a girl on me, and the keeper dove right over the ball.''
The winning goal was set up when Harman attempted a corner kick that was deflected out of bounds by Glass near the Hilltoppers' goal. Given another opportunity, Harman altered her strategy.
``The second time I tried to put the ball about hip height, so that maybe somebody could turn and knock the ball into the goal,'' Harman said. ``The ball actually bounced, but it worked out.''
``There was so much traffic in front of the goal, the ball just slipped through,'' McClurg said.
LENGTH: Medium: 64 linesby CNB