Thursday night was not the Lady Raiders night as the defending girls soccer state champion Roswell High School Lady Hornets came into Raider Stadium and left with a 3-1 victory over Habersham Central High School in the Sweet Sixteen round of the state playoffs.
The Lady Raiders (14-3-1) were under pressure from the outset and Roswell (14-3-1) made good on their attack, eventually slotting three goals into the back of the net.
The Lady Hornets opened scoring 12 minutes into the game as senior goalkeeper Riley Wilson came off her line to make a play on an oncoming ball played through the middle of the field. Realizing she wouldn’t make it on time, Wilson began retreating to get into position to make a save, but Roswell junior Rachel Phifer was able to slide the ball past her.
HCHS would make a play to level the game nine minutes later.
Junior Abigail Hotard was in a fight for the ball with a Lady Hornets player and drew the foul to win a free kick for HCHS about 40 yards from goal. Fellow junior Paisley Cathey delivered the ball into the box, dropping it onto junior Annabelle Clark’s head.
Clark, remarkably unmarked by the Lady Hornets’ defense, was able to guide the shot on target and past the keeper to put the game back on even footing.
Eight minutes later, Roswell would go up for good as a cross from the right side of the field found its way to a player barreling down the field for an incredible flying header.
The 2-1 lead would find its way to halftime. Then, it would take eight and a half minutes into the second period for the Lady Hornets to find the net for the third and final time.
Phifer carried the ball into the attacking third through the middle-left side of the field, skirting oncoming defenders before knocking the ball home for a solo effort.
The Lady Raiders had a good chance on goal late, but the shot found the woodwork to keep the ball out of the net.
“Like I told the girls (after the game): in the second half,…
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