The Lady Highlanders pulled out a close victory against larger Stephens County April 20. Going into the second half the score was 1-0, much thanks to goalie Grace Crowe, junior.
“They were good, but our defense was just better at keeping it out,” said Crowe.
The final resulted in Highlands winning 2-1 and players were ecstatic. In no small part were the multiple diving saves by Crowe. The first time Highlands played Stephens County they did not fare so well.
The girls have really grown over the season, losing to Stephens County 5-0 our first meeting,” said David Parrish, the girls soccer head coach. “A big help to our defense was the leadership of Maddie Lloyd and Trinity Dendy.”
He added that Crowe played a big role in the win.
“Grace is a top level goalie for our division,” said Parrish. “She is raw talent and has a passion for getting dirty. She played incredible last night and played a huge role in our victory.”
The entire team contributed to the Lady Highlanders’ success as striker Betty Garcia attests.
“I think I gave it my all and I couldn’t be more proud,” said Betty Garcia, junior, junior. “I think we’re finally at a place where we’re working together as a team.”
Right midfielder Jamie King said Stephens County presented a challenged but the Lady Highlanders prevailed.
“It was a really tough game,” said King. “They had a really good offense. We could have been a little faster, but it feels pretty good to win.”
Freshman midfielder Alyson Dayton said being a part of such a team such as this is a great feeling.
“It was amazing, we passed really good,” said Dayton. “This season has been so much fun. I have such a good team.”
While the team pulled off the win against Stephens County, Parrish there is room for improvement.
“We need to learn how to transition better and more confidently from Defense to Offense,” he said. “We tend to get caught in kick-ball mode and thus spend more time playing defense. The girls have been working hard to change this.”
Article and photos by Brian O’Shea
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