MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The University High girls’ soccer team survived the rain and cross-town rival Morgantown High to advance to the OVAC championship match Thursday, at Mylan Pharmaceuticals Stadium.
In a match involving two top five-ranked teams, miserable conditions did not make for miserable play.
Ari Christiansen’s header in the 35th minute proved to be the game-winner, sending the Hawks to Saturday’s OVAC championship match against Parkersburg South.
The match kicks off at noon, in St. Clairsville, Ohio.
Morgantown (12-3-0) halved the field in the first 10 minutes with a strong holding midfield, and generated an early corner, but couldn’t finish. University (12-1-1) finally found their legs and began to produce chances as well, so the middle twenty minutes evolved into an entertaining series of sharp counter attacks. The Mohigans nearly scored in the 21st minute off a 37-yard free kick that squirted loose from Hawks keeper Corinne Grabow, but she scrambled back and smothered the loose ball.
In the 35th minute, UHS took advantage of a free kick deep down the right side just outside the 18, and while the initial service didn’t connect, senior Stephanie Chmiel gathered at the opposite side, dribbled diagonally across the entire field, cleverly backpedaled to buy space, then lofted a perfect cross onto Christiansen’s head, and she buried it.
The inspired Hawks kept the offensive pressure on high the rest of the half, nearly scoring on a trio of dangerous late corners, and as the second half began, any thoughts that UHS would simply pack in on defense and hold on were quickly dispelled. Aggressive marking in the midfield popped forwards loose twice in the first four minutes, but Morgantown keeper Jordan August made two superb saves, diving left to punch a shot away, then roaring far off her line to stuff a mini-breakaway and keep the match within reach.
The rivals traded possession and solid scoring attempts until midway through the half, when Morgantown’s hard-driving ball pressure began to force the Hawks’s back wall to settle for clears, and the field began to tilt a bit. Speedy, shifty MHS junior Samantha Brown tested Grabow (who finished with seven saves) in the 59th minute on a skidding shot, but the senior was able to deflect it just wide of the right post. A flurry of Mohigan offensive opportunities in the final few minutes never got through to goal, as University hung on for a hard-fought victory.
”One play,” smiled MHS coach Stirlin Rivers. “That was the difference. I thought we kept our identity in place throughout the match, possessed the ball very well, and accumulated a number of chances. But that’s what I love about the game: one mistake, or one great play can mean the match. It was 1-0 for us at home, and 1-0 for them here, so I hope that we get a chance, maybe in the Sectionals, to see them again.”
UHS co-head coach Graham Peace was most encouraged by his team’s response to the Mohigans’ powerful start and also their play with the lead.
“I love the way Morgantown starts — just that forceful presence and attacking mentality,” he explained. “We got caught on our heels in the first game, but this time we weathered the storm. And after that pretty goal, we didn’t back off, but kept up our offensive mindset. That’s a big step forward for any team, to have the confidence to go for the win, even against a great team.”
When informed of Rivers’ hopes for a rubber match, Peace enthusiastically agreed.
“It’s always fun to play MHS,” he grinned. “They’re such a solid, classy program, and I think the soccer would be at a very high level. It’ll be tough to get there, because BU and Preston are both very tough, but we’d love to see them again, for sure You always want to play against the best teams in the state, and they’re definitely one of them.”
