North wins with substance, not style

September 12, 1998|By BOB PARASILITI

CLEAR SPRING - Meagan Verdeyen is glad that soccer isn't scored on style points.

The North Hagerstown midfielder is rewarded on a kicks-for-goals basis, not on the whim of some Russian judge ... especially when it comes to a situation like overtime.

Verdeyen punched a score past Smithsburg goalie Lauren Church with 6:13 remaining in the second overtime Saturday to give the Hubs a 4-3 victory and the Washington County Tournament championship at the new Clear Spring stadium complex.

"I didn't care what it looked like," Verdeyen said. "It was just luck. We worked hard the whole second half."

And then some..

North (3-0-1) broke a 2-2 tie just 2 1/2 minutes into the second half. Verdeyen caught up to a lead pass at midfield, took three dribbles and unloaded from 30 yards, high into the net for a 3-2 lead. It was short-lived though, as Kyley Thompson scored two minutes later, scoring on the short side of the goal from 12 yards out.

Then the free-for-all style exhibited by both teams pulled back in a combination of cautious play and energy sapped by the humid conditions. A big save by Emily Clutz, North's backup goalie, in regulation and later by Church in the first overtime kept the score tied.

"Part of it was that Smithsburg stepped up and we stepped up," North coach Kim O'Kane said. "We were getting frustrated by all the offsides calls because of the trap they were setting up. We spent a lot of time in the defensive end, trying to hang back to stay onsides."

North jumped out to a 2-0 lead on scores by Meghan Adair and Nikki Holman in the first 15 minutes of the match. Thompson and Alyson Daughtridge each scored for Smithsburg in the next 11 minutes to tie the score at 2-2.

Verdeyen had three open shots in the first overtime, but all went wide of the net. The senior captain made sure on her big chance in the second overtime.

"We stole an opportunity," Verdeyen said. "(Left wing Lindsay Smith) gave me the cross and we just capitalized."

North reached the finals with a 1-0 win over Clear Spring. Jackie Salvagno scored three minutes into the game and the Hubs made the goal stand up.

Smithsburg advanced with a 3-2 win over Boonsboro as Daughtridge scored the late game-winner on an assist from Thompson. Thompson scored twice in the first half to give the Leopards a 2-0 halftime lead. Boonsboro tied the score on goals by Maggie Tierney and Holly Pearson in the second half.

In the consolation match, Stephanie Nicolosi score off a Pearson corner kick late in the second half for a 3-2 win over Clear Spring. Kelly Taylor scored off an assist from Lisa Byers to tie the match at half and Pearson scored on a penalty kick to tie the game at 2-2. Ashley Andrews scored both goals for Clear Spring.

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