by Derek Toney
dtoney@digitalsports.com
Sparrows Point High girls' soccer Conrad Snyder wishes there was an easier way other than penalty kicks to decide Friday evening's state Class 1A semifinal match with Poolesville. Considering the Pointers' recent state Final Four history, Snyder was more than content with the end result.
The Pointers won the penalty kick session, 4-3, to advance to the state championship game. Sparrows Point will play defending champ Glenelg for the crown next week at UMBC's Retriever Stadium.
Poolesville missed high twice in the session, helping the Pointers (11-5 overall) to their seventh straight victory. Conrad said the Pointers were fortunate to get through after 80 minutes of regulation followed by two 10-minute overtime periods.
"It's really a tough way to go ahead to the next round. The girls on the other side was just as deserving, but that's how we pick a winner," said Snyder. "I think if you look at the run of play, the opportunities we had compared to theirs, it was probably a fair result."
Katelyn Eagen gave the Pointers a 3-2 advantage with a shot in the upper left corner before Olivia Durr answered for Poolesville with a shot over top of Pointers' goalie Kelsey Eagan. Sarah Strait's shot in the left corner put Sparrows Point ahead, then Stephanie Boulter sailed over the top of goal for Poolesville, ending its state championship aspirations.
"All the pressure's on you," said Kelsey Eagan. "If you make a mistake, it's all on you. When the first one went over the post, I said it was going to be a long game."
Poolesville (13-3) had Eagan (six saves) under fire most of the second half. Senior Sarah Ferrari pulled even the Montgomery County school even early second half, splitting a pair of Sparrows Point for a ball around the 40-yard line, dribbled ahead and placed a shot from a right angle past Eagan into the left side of the net.
Christy Wyne and Liza Jones found the net to start Poolesville in the penalty kick session, but Ferrari missed high as it missed on two of its final three attempts. Poolesville coach Christina Mann said her team's missed opportunities eventually cost them a shot at its first state title since 2002.
"I thought we had the momentum for a lot of it, we just couldn't quite get our foot on the last pass or cross coming in," said Mann. "We didn't have a group of super consistent players, and when it get to PKs you can't put too much pressure on any one kid."
Sparrows Point led 1-0 at halftime as a through pass from Melissa Wampler got away from Poolesville goalie Katie Frost and Sarah Hoar was there to knock in with under a minute remaining. It was the only bright spot for the Pointers, who were outplayed in the first 40 minutes.
"They [Poolesville] were winning the 50-50 balls and were more physical and aggressive," said Snyder. "The last 10 minutes we started coming out, putting some passes together and we were successful. From that point, we were more in those 50-50 situations."
In its fifth straight Final Four, Sparrows Point will try for its first state championship against Glenelg, in a rematch of last year's title game. The defending state champ Gladiators routed Mardela, 6-0, in the other semifinal Friday evening.
With last year's memory still fresh in the minds of their veterans, the Pointers believe next weekend will be different.
"At the beginning of the season I told these ladies this is the team I believe is going to win a state championship," said Snyder. "They've done nothing up to this point to change that. Last year, we saw what it took to win a state championship."
"We really really want it," said Hoar. "There's nine seniors on the team and we all want to win."
Class 1A state girls soccer semifinal
at Broadneck
Sparrows Point 1, Poolesville 1
(Sparrows Point wins in penalty kicks, 4-3)
Goals: Sparrows Point-Hoar; Poolesvillle-Ferrari. Assist: Sparrows Point-Wampler. Saves: Sparrows Point-Kelsey Eagan 6; Poolesville-Frost 5.
Sparrows Point 1 0-1
Poolesville 0 1-1
