Live From Pepin Stadium: Tampa Prep Girls State Soccer Semifinals

Posted Feb 11, 2009 by Bill Ward

Updated Feb 12, 2009 at 01:56 PM

9:34 p.m.—PENALTY KICKS—END OF MATCH
AMERICAN HERITAGE WINS 2-1 (4-2 ON PKs)

After American Heritage defender Maranda Fyfe converts her team’s fourth PK and Tampa Prep forward Colby Maffei watches hers saved by keeper Samantha Perretty, the match is over. American Heritage wins 4-2 in the PK shootout and takes the match 2-1 to earn the right to face St. John’s Country Day in tomorrow’s 2A championship game.

It was a hard-fought match by both sides. You can’t say American Heritage didn’t deserve this, but you got to feel for the Terrapins, who came just 90 seconds from winning it in regulation. As always, it’s hard to watch a good match end on PKs, let alone a team’s season finish this way. The Stallions, of course, were on the receiving end of this feeling last year when it lost the title match on penalties to Tampa Prep.

9:32 p.m.—PENALTY KICKS

Heritage’s Danielle Marra converts her PK and so does Prep’s Isabel Dalence. It’s 3-2 to American Heritage after three PKs by each side

9:28 p.m.—PENALTY KICKS

American Heritage defender Lauren Silver converts her PK but Caroline Cheek shoots wide on her attempt. It’s 2-1 to American Heritage

9:28 p.m.—PENALTY KICKS

Both teams convert their first two PKs—by Prep’s Paige Goodwin and Heritage’s Tatiana Penagos. It’s 1-1

9:22 p.m.—End of second OT period

We’ve played 100 minutes now and the last one ended in a whirlwind. With less than a minute in the period, American Heritage sent a corner kick into the box, which was punched out by keeper Jordan Hatton. The rebound was kicked back at goal and saved by defender Amber Miller and a second rebound was saved by Gabby Cook. We’re headed to penalty kicks—just like last year’s state final between these two teams!

9:07 p.m.—End of first OT period

After one, 10-minute overtime, it’s still 1-1. It was something of a moral victory for the Terps to escape that period, especially considering they had to save a shot off the line. We’re headed to the second overtime and believe it or not, both sides aren’t looking too fatigued. Certainly, the good conditions tonight are helping.

9:02 p.m.—84h minute

Tampa Prep just dodged a bullet in the first extra time when a shot from 10 yards out by Stallions striker Yulie Lopez was saved off the line by Terps defender Isabel Dalence. Heritage is really pouring on the pressure now.

8:54 p.m.—79th minute
GOAL! AMERICAN HERITAGE—TATIANA PENAGOS

With just 1:30 showing on the clock, it’s 1-1 after a mad scramble in front of goal gives Yulie Lopez an open shot that ricochets off a defender and back at Stallions forward Tatiana Penagos 8 yards out from goal. From there, Penagos had a clear shot and slotted just inside the left post. We’re headed to extra time, where it’s sudden death, aka a golden goal.

8:40 p.m.—71st minute

American Heritage midfielder Christina Cobb just sent a free kick from just outside the 18-yard box over the bar. That was the Stallions’ best chance of the second half and once again, they can’t find the back of the net. American Heritage (19-3-2) has only been shut out twice this season, both times by larger schools.

8:30 p.m.—60th minute

We’re at the last mandatory water break and Tampa Prep still clings to a 1-0 lead and American Heritage keeps coming unglued in the final third. The Stallions just can’t string that last pass into the box to set up a good shot. Credit Tampa Prep’s back four—Gabby Cook, Lauren Knoke, Isabel Dalence and Caroline Cheek—with a lot of that. And keeper Jordan Hatton has been there to clear out or scoop up anything in the 6-yard box.

8:20 p.m.—50th minute

Ten minutes into the second half and it’s more the same—American Heritage dominating possession in Tampa Prep’s half but unable to get that final pass to create a serious chance. The Terps are doing a good job of man marking and tackling against an opponent who has an edge on them in the speed department.

8 p.m. Halftime

We’ve reached halftime and Tampa Prep leads 1-0. I can’t say it’s the most deserved lead, but the Terps took the one good chance they had and cashed in. American Heritage has to be somewhat miffed because they have spent the better part of these first 40 minutes sending balls left, right and center into the Tampa Prep 18-yard box. Right before halftime, Stallions midfielder Mandy Freeman blasted a shot just over the bar and send a hush through the pro-Terp crowd.

7:52 p.m. - 34th minute
GOAL! TAMPA PREP—TAYLOR RICHARDSON

As is often the case in soccer, you can get dominated by another team and then somehow score a goal. This one came shortly after a Tampa Prep throw-in in one of the Terps’ rare foray’s into American Heritage’s end. The ball split through two Stallions defenders and, after one defender whiffed at it, it wound up at the feet of senior Taylor Richardson, who knocked it in from 15 yards out. It’s 1-0 to the defending state champions.

7:44 p.m. - 26th minute

American Heritage’s eighth-grade striker, Yulie Lopez, just sent a cross from near the corner flag into the 6-yard box that forced Tampa Prep keeper Jordan Hatton to make a great punch-out. The Stallions are crossing some dangerous balls and keeping the Terps on their heels. Despite all this action, neither team has put a shot on target.

7:38 p.m.—21st minute

We’ve reached the mandatory water break in the 21st minute and it’s fair to say American Heritage has had the better run of play to this point. No, the Stallions haven’t put a dangerous shot on goal, but they’re spending lots of time in Tampa Prep’s half. The Terps need to settle it instead of knocking long balls from their back four defenders. They’ve had no corners and only one long free kick in American Heritage’s end of the field. The Stallions have had two corner kicks to this point.

7:26 p.m.—10th minute

Tampa Prep is having trouble getting it out of their own end. American Heritage is definitely an up-tempo squad that likes to knock it forwrd. The Stallions haven’t been able to break down the Terrapins’ defense but they have forced a couple of easy saves out of keeper Jordan Hatton.

7:10 p.m.

Here’s your starting lineups for tonight’s match:

Tampa Prep : Jordan Hatton (GK), Lauren Knoke (D), Isabel Dalence (D), Gabby Cook (D), Caroline Cheek (D), Megan Wall (M), Taylor Richardson (M), Alyssa Bryant (M), Amber Miller (M), Paige Goodwin (F), Colby Maffei (F)
American Heritage : Samantha Perretty (GK), Mandy Freeman (D), Melissa Bergstein (D), Danielle Marra (M), Christina Cobb (M), Arielle onzalez (M), Karina Rodriguez (M), Yulie Lopez (F), Tatiana Penagos (F), Sidney Parodie (F)

Tampa Prep will play it’s usual 4-4-2 formation, with Goodwin and Maffei on top. Accoridng to the Stallions’ lineup, it looks like they’re going with three forwards, which could explain why they’ve scored 98 goals this season. Lopez, an eighth grader, has scored 15 of them and Heritage’s leading scorer is Penagos, a freshman, who has 24.

We’re just five minutes away from the kickoff. A good crowd is here for Tampa Prep at Pepin Stadium.

6:30 p.m.

It’s a half hour before the kickoff between Tampa Prep and Delray Beach American Heritage in the Class 2A girls state soccer semifinals at the University of Tampa’s Pepin Stadium.

The Terrapins, whose campus is across Cass Street from Pepin Stadium, arrived about a half hour ago with coach Pam Smith. They were getting their cleats on under the stadium and Smith said everyone is healthy and ready to start the defense of their 2A title. They are facing the same school they beat in the finals of last year’s tournament in a penalty shootout so American Heritage will certainly be ready to play tonight.

The weather is ideal—in the mid-70s—and there’s not much wind. It should be a good match. Stay tuned for the starting lineups and the in-game blog.