MORGANTOWN – It’s been seven years since the University High School girls’ soccer team defeated its crosstown rival, Morgantown, on the pitch, and it’ll be a little longer wait as the Hawks and Mohigans battled to an exciting 1-1 draw under the lights at Pony Lewis Field on Tuesday night.
Each team found a goal through spectacular efforts by MHS senior striker Ella Miller and UHS freshman midfielder Lauren Goodenow.
Miller scored five minutes into the second half to put the Mohigans (3-3-2) ahead 1-0 after a scoreless opening 40 minutes. After multiple efforts earlier in the game that glanced the post and crossbar, Miller found her goal with a powerful effort off her left foot that beat UHS freshman goalkeeper Caitlyn Stout.
The Hawks (8-1-2) equalized through Goodenow five minutes later as she found space on the right corner of the 18-yard box and floated an effort over the head of MHS goalkeeper Camdyn Smith that found the far corner of the net.
“We have a young team, so I think it was expected for us to start a little shaky,” UHS head coach Graham Peace said. “But I thought we played ourselves into the game well against a talented team. They have some tremendous players in all phases of the field. I’m proud of our girls for hanging in there and battling. They have to learn how to play in these kinds of games.”
As mentioned by Peace, the Hawks began the game on the back foot, showing some nerves and their inexperience with a young team. MHS threatened with early chances but couldn’t capitalize as the UHS defense slowly settled into the flow of the game.
Miller established herself early on with the ball at her feet, firing off multiple shots at Stout’s goal early in the first half, but was unable to find a successful strike.
“I thought the game was one of the more intense ones we’ve had with UHS in recent years,” MHS head coach Bri Frontuto said. “It was a fun match, we were able to attack most of the time, but for us it’s about just being able to get the counters under control. The second half was more about connecting more passes in the final third, being able to put chances away, and playing cleaner and tighter.”
MHS earned a 20-4 shot advantage in the contest, as its back four limited the Hawks’ opportunities.
“Our defense has matured in their discipline throughout the years, and it’s showing now,” Frontuto said. “Lena Cummings does a great job being a senior leader in that group, and we’ve been really proud of that growth.”
Goodenow and Miller’s efforts came in the opening ten minutes of the second half, and the scoreline stayed true for the final half hour.
“Lauren has a great right foot, and when she sees the net, she has the confidence to put the ball on target,” Peace said. “That’s just what she did for the goal tonight, and it was definitely a memorable one.”
Both clubs will aim to add to their win column this week as Morgantown travels to Musselman on Saturday for a 1:00 p.m. contest, while UHS visits Buckhannon-Upshur the same morning at 11:00.
