INMAN, S.C. – In the first match after spring break, the Chapman Panthers boys’ soccer team began the second circuit of Region 3-3A play at home against the Carolina Trojans on Tuesday evening. It was a defensive battle, but a shot with 10 minutes to play lifted Chapman to a 3-2 victory over Carolina.
The two sides played to a scoreless tie until the last four minutes of the first half, where Chapman’s Brandon Vallecillo fired a free kick into the net from 19 yards away and staked the Panthers to an early advantage. The lead was short lived as the Trojans answered with a goal off a cross from the right side into the six yard box, which sent the game to the half with a 1-1 score. “We took our foot off of the gas a little bit,” said Chapman head coach Chris DowDell about the Trojans’ equalizer. “You can’t allow a team that’s got that much talent to hang around like that. Their striker turned one of our better defenders from an angle and we were not marked up properly for the cross, and the guy tapped it home.” “We have to be better in those moments. Defense is something we are preaching, but these young guys are still learning what defense really means and how to defend properly. It’s a work in progress.” Carolina claimed a 2-1 lead just three minutes into the second stanza, but Chapman answered a few moments later. On a counterattack, the Trojan goalkeeper dove to deflect a Vallecillo shot attempt near the six yard box. The deflection landed on the foot of Jakob Schall, who fired it home from the fringe of the 18 yard box, tying the game at 2-2. After narrowly missing a shot on goal less than 60 seconds prior, the Panthers converted in the 70th minute as a cross from the right side found Tyler Garcia, who fired home a strike from six yards away for the go-ahead goal. “I got the pass from our striker (Jakob Schall),” Garcia recalled about the play. “I received it right there, got past one player, and found the bottom left corner. It felt good to score that goal, and it made me feel confident about myself and my abilities. We had to lock in, grind it out, and play a lot of good defense. This win can help build our confidence as a team.” “We’ve been working with Tyler on trying to be more direct and play a little faster,” DowDell stated. “A lot of teams in high school like to play a high line… if we can find that through-ball and get you into space, you don’t need to dance – put the jets on and go. He’s been working hard at trying to learn that. He did what we asked him to do, and he rewarded himself and the team with a game-winner.” For the game, Chapman tallied nine shots and four on the goal, while Carolina registered a game-high 13 shots and nine on the goal. Chapman netminder Landon Pruitt recorded seven saves. Chapman (9-2, 5-0 Region) will host Blue Ridge for a Region 3-3A match on Friday, April 12th at 7 PM. Monday and Tuesday’s Scoreboard Monday Softball: Chapman 12, Wade Hampton 0 - Next game: at Blue Ridge, 6 PM on Friday Tuesday Girls Soccer: Chapman 15, Carolina 0 - Next match: Home vs Eastside, 7 PM on Wednesday Baseball at Blue Ridge - POSTPONED until Wednesday (JV at 5 PM, Varsity at 7 PM) Comments are closed.
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