Lady Cyclones late goal earns draw with University High (with video)
Published 1:20 pm Friday, October 7, 2022
STAR CORRESPONDENT
Freshman Camdyn Garland scored the tying goal in the 78th minute to bring Elizabethton even with University High and the Lady Cyclones left Citizens Bank Stadium with a 2-2 draw with the Lady Junior Buccaneers.
Garland’s goal came off a terrific feed on a corner kick from junior Mollie Johnson and showed an astute adjustment from head coach Lauren Meier as she had her players away from the goal rather than closer and it paid dividends.
“It helped me get my right foot on the ball,” Garland said. “My right foot is my dominant one and it helped me get to the ball. We really worked together after we got used to the game conditions.”
The Lady Cyclones (6-8-2 overall) fell behind by two goals just 14 minutes into the match with Clara Lipscomb and Carmen Ellis each scoring on big plays for the Bucs. On the first goal, Ellis had a free kick at the 30-yard line – deep in her team’s territory – and she fired a ball 40 yards into the Cyclones end to where Lipscomb ran under the ball and took possession outside the EHS penalty area from where she fired a shot past freshman goalkeeper Abby Krawcyzk for a 1-nil lead.
In the 14th minute, Ellis showed classic skills as she dribbled into the Cyclones end and fired a shot past Krawcyzk for a two-goal Bucs lead.
From there, the Cyclones began to tighten up defensively and allowed just two shots on goal the rest of the match while turning up the offensive pressure on Bucs goalkeeper Breeze Ryan.
“We had gotten a little complacent on our corner kicks, so we recognized that and talked about it,” Meier said. “It paid off for us. They scored two goals in 14 minutes and we answered the call and we played well the rest of the way and played together as a team.”
In the 25th minute, the Cyclones got a lift as junior forward Kaiya Simmons scored on a breakaway in which she showed her speed and acceleration and her shot brought the Cyclones to 2-1 and shifted momentum to EHS.
The second half was a defensive display as the Cyclones blunted every attempt by the Bucs to gain an advantage but University High was equal to the task defensively as shots on goal were few and far between.
In the late stages, Johnson had a free kick from 35 yards out but her shot sailed wide right and as time was dwindling down the Cyclones were left searching for something to enable them to draw even.
That something came in the 78th minute as Johnson set up a corner kick and the Cyclones backed away from the goal enabling them a better angle to attack and Johnson’s kick sailed high into the middle of the penalty area as Garland rushed forward and nailed a right-footed blast into the University High net.
“That is something we definitely talked about at halftime,” Meier said. “Being able to make those runs into the box and how difficult that is for the defending team. It took us a little bit to get our feet under us but then they answered the call and they came out and played really hard the rest of the match.”
The Cyclones open the district 1A playoffs on Monday with a match against Unicoi County and with a win will take on Tennessee High at Stone Castle on Tuesday.
EHS 2-2
University High 2 0 – 2
Elizabethton 1 1 – 2
Scoring summary
First Half
UH – Lipscomb (assist Ellis) 8:00
UH – Ellis (unassisted) 14:00
E – Simmons (unassisted) 25:00
Second Half
E – Garland (assist Johnson) 78:00
Star Photo/Tyler Scalf
Elizabethton’s Izzy Lewis (6) attempt for a goal was stopped by University High goalie Breeze Ryan (41).
Star Photo/Tyler Scalf
Izzy Lewis (6) of Elizabethton is fighting for possession of the soccer ball.
Star Photo/Tyler Scalf
Elizabethton’s Izzy lewis (6) Passes the ball to her teammates in the middle of the field for a shot at a goal.
Star Photo/Tyler Scalf
Cyclone’s Kaiya Simmons (21) is attempting to steal the ball from University High’s AnnaMae Oligny (20) as she passes the ball to a teammate.
Star Photo/Tyler Scalf
Elizabethton’s Kaiya (21) works the sideline.
Star Photo/Tyler Scalf
University High’s goalie Breeze Ryan (41) blocks an incoming goal.
Star Photo/Tyler Scalf
Kaiya Simmons (21) of Elizabethton works toward the goal while University High’s AnnaMae Oligny (20) and Elisa-Cruz Hernandez pursue.
University High’s AnnaMae Oligny (20) tries to defend the header from Elizabethton’s Kaiya Simmons (21).
