Morgantown women defeat Hedgesville to advance to state championship

BECKLEY — The Morgantown women’ soccer staff defeated Hedgesville 2-1 within the semifinals of the WVSSAC Women State Soccer Match Thursday morning at Paul Cline Memorial Stadium in Beckley.

The Mohigans overcame an early 1-0 deficit after the opening objective was scored by the Eagles lower than 5 minutes into the beginning of the match. Gracie Brown equalized late within the first half and Emily Carpenter scored the go-ahead objective quarter-hour into the second half to finish the comeback for MHS.

MHS advances to Saturday’s championship recreation the place it would sq. off towards Parkersburg South with an opportunity to defend its 2022 title.

“We knew this was going to be a battle, seeding numbers imply nothing proper now,” MHS head coach Bri Frontuto stated. “I anticipated a minimum of one objective to return from that kind of play that our first one did. I’m so happy with the staff and so they’ve positively earned this opportunity.”

The Eagles started the sport on the entrance foot, possessing the ball on offense for practically all the opening 5 minutes. They have been rewarded for the optimistic play when striker Abby Johnson rifled a shot from the highest of the 18-yard field along with her left foot that curled into the again of the online, giving her staff a 1-0 lead 4 minutes into the match.

“The objective got here early and 5 minutes into the primary state match recreation I wasn’t certain how we might reply,” Frontuto stated. “We have now a number of younger gamers on the staff and so we anticipated the nerves however I do know the flexibility of the staff and the level-headedness that they’re able to have.”

The Mohigans settled into the match effectively after conceding the opening objective and managed the vast majority of the ball on offense for the rest of the primary half. The Hedgesville protection held agency with out permitting the Mohigans to see too many threatening probabilities on objective.

Simply when it appeared that the Eagles would maintain on for a 1-0 lead getting into the locker room, the Mohigans earned a harmful free kick simply outdoors of the 18-yard field. Ariana Borneo despatched the ball into the field and the Eagles didn’t correctly clear the hazard. Gracie Brown was the primary to react to the free ball and positioned it into the online to tie the sport at one objective every with 3:40 left till halftime.

“Gracie Brown is an unbelievable participant and she or he has the excessive IQ to make performs,” Frontuto stated. “That trickles down all through the staff to her teammates and she or he does nothing however make our staff go.”

The second half opened as the primary did, with the Eagles seeing extra optimistic offensive possession and never permitting the Mohigans to interrupt out for a quick break. However simply as they did within the first half, MHS settled into the sport and commenced to take management of the sector.

After a number of probabilities for a objective within the first half, Carpenter lastly discovered her objective on a quick break. Borneo performed an inch-perfect go from midfield into the trail of Carpenter’s run. She managed the go and rifled a shot into the again of the online for the go-ahead objective with 26:37 left within the match.

Her objective would show to be the distinction within the recreation, as MHS superior with a 2-1 victory over Hedgesville.

“This staff has confronted adversity all 12 months and has responded each time,” Frontuto stated. “They’ve earned the spot within the championship and the chance to defend their title.”

Morgantown and Parkersburg South battled to a 1-1 draw of their solely assembly this season. The Patriots superior to the championship with a 2-0 win over George Washington.