Soccer team plays for state title
Photo courtesy of Kristy Shaefer
Sophomore Christianna Carter
celebrates her game winning goal
against Jacksonville.
Caitlin Donovan
Sports Editor
Gibbons women’s varsity soccer
team continued on its journey toward the
3A state championship after defeating
Jacksonville 1-0 on Wednesday night.
Sophomore Christianna Carter scored
the game-winning goal off a header during
the second half of regulation time.
The team will be moving onto the
championship match against Marvin
Ridge on Saturday at 4 p.m. at N.C. State.
(Results were not available as of press
time.)
The team is excited about making it to
the championship.
“I’m really excited we have made
it this far! We moved up a division and
weren’t sure how we were going to do and
are so excited to have made it this far. We
deserve to be where we are: going to the
championship,” said junior Sarah Russo
via email.
Sophomore defender Brittany Smith
also added her feelings about being in her
first high school state championship.
“It’s crazy! I am so happy to make it
this far because we lost so many seniors [to
graduation] from last year and it proves
how strong our team really is, especially
after our win against Chapel Hill,” said
Smith via email.
Gibbons goal keeper senior Jen
Schaefer has shut-out all 5 playoff
opponents and the Gibbons defense has
really held their ground.
Gibbons won 1-0 against Gray
Creek, 1-0 in overtime against Williams,
3-0 against Union Pines, 1-0 against
conference rival Chapel Hill in penalty
kicks, and 1-0 against Jacksonville.
Gibbons’
opponent
in
the
championship, Marvin Ridge, is 23-0 with
a high-powered offense. They have scored
20 goals in playoffs this year.
Gibbons went 15-4-3 in conference
play this season. The team really improved
over the course of the season and grew as
a family.
“The season has been great. We have
worked really hard, and have come a very
long way,” said freshman midfielder Leigh
McGill.
The team wouldn’t change a thing
about the regular season. They believe
that the struggles have prepared the team
for states.
“I wouldn’t change anything about
this season. We have learned from our
mistakes and grown stronger through our
victories,” said senior defender Shannon
McDermott.
On their way to the championship
game of the 3A conference, the games
have gotten a lot more intense.
“It’s a lot more intense than the
regular season and everyone on the team
has stepped up their game together,” said
Carter.
Senior forward Kaitlin Murphy
commented before entering the state
championship game that she hoped for a
state title.
“But if not then to make it as far as
possible and playing to our best abilities
as a team,” said Murphy.
The team believes that they can
achieve that state title, but in order to do it
they must play to the best of their ability.
“The team needs to continue to work
together and connect passes. If we go into
this game with confidence and a good
attitude it going to be hard to beat us,”
said Russo.