CSAS lost a heartbreaker in the quarterfinal round of the DI- Class A state tournament to Westview of Martin—falling in penalties 6-5 after a 2-2 draw in regular time.
The Chargers came into the match as the favorites, on paper at least, with a 16-1 record and 14 straight wins. CSAS, however, was riding an 8-game unbeaten run that carried with it its own air of confidence.
That confidence mixed with the Patriots aggressive start to the match saw the away side look like the favorites through the first half hour.
CSAS dominated possession through the first half, keeping the ball in its attacking half and constantly pressing Westview. Its game plan centered, as it has much of the year, around senior Cheyenne Frye. Starting on the left-hand side, Frye was moved around to try to find a way for her to get on the ball in space. Eventually, she was dropped into midfield where she could help create as well as put out quick transitions defensively.
Even with all the tactical adjustments and the dominance on the ball, the Patriots saw multiple dangerous opportunities go begging and entered the half without a goal.
Westview, on the other hand, sat in a low block and focused on defending with numbers and then try to hit on the counter. Their defensive state of mind didn’t leave many moments for the home fans to cheer about—except for, of course, the most important reason—the opening goal.
It happened with just five minutes to go before the half. Westview found itself in transition near the half line. This time, the Patriots were caught out of position in the midfield leaving a gap for freshman Ashlee Brent to pick her head up and find the best option. After surveying, Brent opted for a 35-yard chip that casually found its way in the top drawer to give the Chargers a surprising lead.
The patriots responded on the mirror side of the break. Zeva Phillips hit the Olimpico, scoring directly from the corner to knot things up at one. This began what became known locally as the Phillips show. Just 10 minutes later Phillips converted a dead center freekick from 40 yards out to give the Patriots their first lead and cement that this game would succumb to golazos only—no mere mortal half chances would do.
The Patriots continued to dominate, with Phillips at the helm. Westview responded by opening up and playing more on the front foot. CSAS didn’t shy away continuing to play its game and create chances—but yet again multiple missed chances would loom large at the end of the half.
When all hoped seemed lost for the Chargers, the Patriots produced a cheap give away in their half that found Brent again on the ball with the Patriots midfield out of position. Brent drove towards her marker on the wing before cutting it inside and curling a shot into the near post top bins to steal a draw in regular time.
As the game drifted into extra time, it became clear that both teams were spent physically. CSAS was crushed from the late equalizer while Westview, having spent considerable energy to force extra time, looked unprepared to finish it there.
Brent and Phillips—both sitting on hat tricks from their regular time heroics—lived with their hands on their knees as the clock ticked on.
20 minutes went by and the dreaded became the inevitable—this game would be decided on penalties.
Both teams made light work of their first five shots, making it 5-5 leading into sudden death.
Brent, after burying her chance with the same style that pushed her team to this moment, turned and confronted her keeper Chloe Peevyhouse, whose confidence was clearly shot after Phillip’s second screamer.
“Get out of your head” Brent shouted, “It was one goal. You got this!”. It was an act of leadership from a freshman star that would not go unnoticed.
The crowd slowly began to chant “Chloe, Chloe, Chloe” as she stepped up to face the sixth CSAS kicker.
All five previous CSAS kicks were low driven shots just beyond the diving reach of Peevyhouse. This time, however, freshman Chloe Benson got a little too much under the ball and lifted it waist high—a perfect height for Peevyhouse to parry it wide.
Westview buried its next kick to win 6-5 on penalties. The home team swarmed Peevyhouse who was in tears. The redemption arc—even if only in her head—was complete.
CSAS filed off the field in tears. This now make three years in a row the Patriots have fallen short in the state tournament—a crushing stat which can only be fully understood in the context of the hype of making their first tournament in years in 2021 on the back of Fry’s and Phillip’s sophomore class.
Match Summary:
CSAS 0 2 -- 2 0 5(pks)
Westview 1 1 -- 2 0 6(pks)
Goal Scorers:
CSAS- Zeva Phillips (PKs- Anna Chen, Ella Hurst, Cheyenne Frye, Zeva Phillips, Stella Murry)
Westview- Ashlee Brent (PKs- Chanler Spendlove, Hayden Markowski, Maddie Horton, Ashlee Brent, Marianne Moore, Harper Jones)