By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Before Friday the last time the Hayden and Cair Paravel Latin girls soccer teams had met was for a trip to the Class 4A-1A semifinals last spring.
Cair Paravel ended the Wildcats season a year ago after a strenuous and physical 2-1 winning effort in the 4A-1A state quarterfinal.
Cair Paravel sophomore Zahra Friess (3) tries to get past Hayden's Lauren Sandstrom in Friday's 2-2 tie game. [Photo by Trevor Falcon/Special to TSN]
Hayden senior Briahna Barnett (7) advances the ball as Cair Paravel sophomore Amania Vincent gives chase. [Photo by Trevor Falcon/Special to TSN]
Hayden and Cair Paravel hooked up again Friday afternoon and slugged it out through two overtime before ending up in a 2-2 deadlock.
"It's early in the season, and we've improved since our last game," Cair Paravel coach Doug Woolery said. "We are still collecting our lineup and putting all of our moving parts together. We have new players that are settling into the system, maybe used to playing differently with their club teams. I'm not unhappy with the way that we are playing. It's Hayden, so I anticipated this would be a tough game."
Friday's non-league contest was a physical match between the two programs. No team had a clear, runaway advantage but both schools that could return to the 4A-1A hunt again this year knew precisely what Friday would bring.
"I couldn't wait to play (Cair Paravel) because we lost to them in the (quarterfinal)," Hayden coach Klause Kreutzer said. "They're a good team, and I'd rather play a good team. I have to give them credit; they worked hard.
"They've got a lot of young players, and so do we. I'm satisfied with our effort. The execution wasn't what I like it to be, but they're a good team, and a tie isn't bad at all."
Hayden had the advantage over the Lions early. Senior Briahna Barnett netted a goal near the right corner pipe, drilling it past Cair Paravel.
Barnett's goal against the Lions gave her two days straight of scoring a goal.
Cair Paravel sophomore standout Zahra Friess tied the game up shortly after Hayden's goal on the other end on a penalty kick. The first-team All-City pick from a year ago tied the game 1-1 before the halftime break.
Hayden had the advantage of patience and controlling the tempo in the first half. The Wildcats were in Lion territory for most of the half, but Cair Paravel's defenders made it difficult for Hayden to add another goal before halftime.
The Lions didn't waste any time coming out of the halftime break. Junior Katherine Keys set up a pass to junior Corinne Stapleton perfectly. Stapleton capitalized on her opportunity and broke the tie with a goal.
Cair Paravel junior Corinne Stapleton (17) and Hayden senior Noelia Cruz battle for the ball in Friday's 2-2 double-overtime tie. [Photo by Trevor Falcon/Special to TSN]
Hayden junior Kiley Egnoske scored a goal in the Wildcats' 2-2 tie with Cair Paravel. [Photo by Trevor Falcon/Special to TSN]
"I expected that, and I knew what we needed to look for," Kreutzer said. "It's tougher for the younger players to be ready for that, especially after playing last night."
Cair Paravel's second-half lead didn't last long as Hayden answered back. First, junior midfielder Kiley Egnoske was awarded a free-kick opportunity. Then, Egnoske tied the game 2-2 with a goal off the free chance.
Both teams had opportunities to break the tie, but the backlines for Hayden and Cair Paravel were just too physical and good.
With the 2-2 tie, the theme of hard-nosed, physical defense translated to both overtimes, and neither team could break the tie for the win.
"We do a lot of things well and have a lot of potential," Woolery said. "But we know we can do those things better. We tend to dribble the ball right now too much. I think we need to look for quicker passes. The system of play that I want to play is about a lot more small ball. I am excited about this season because I basically have every starter I had last year back this year."
CAIR PARAVEL 2, HAYDEN 2 (2OT)
Cair Paravel (1-0-1) 1 1 0 0 – 2
Hayden (1-0-1) 1 1 0 0 – 2
Cair Paravel – Goals: Friess, Stapleton. Assist: Keys.
Hayden – Goals: Barnett, Egnoske.
