With the Coppell girls soccer team trailing Hebron by a goal through the first half, a strong attack gave the Cowgirls (0-0-1 in District 6-6A) the equalizer 15 minutes into the second half.

That’s how the District 6-6A opener ended as Coppell ties Hebron, 1-1, on Saturday at Buddy Echols Field.

Coppell had a scoring chance in the first half. Progressing into various close scores with alternating dominations and solid defenses, Coppell senior forward Jojo Alonzo’s strike just skimmed Hebron’s post. In a few minutes, Hebron (1-2-1 in District 6-6A) scored and led 1-0 with about 20 minutes remaining in the first half.

“This [match] is a great start,” Coppell coach Rebecca Sawers said. “A tie is one that gets us points on the board. This district is going to be a very challenging one; we have a lot of teams that are going to come out, compete and work hard. I think we’re ready to come back to the next match.”

The game saw many 50-50 tackles and some only hesitantly secured. Winning these 50-50 challenges were opportunities the Cowgirls could have used more in the match. Overall, the Cowgirls’ strength and ability to stay focused and connected with the game really facilitated the dynamic match.

“I saw some things we need to work on but we came out strong,” Coppell senior defender Addison Martin said. “We definitely need to challenge the ball in the midfield more by going up for the 50-50. But mainly, I came out here to play and we all did that.”

The Hawks also had quick defenses and passes, which prompted their early lead. When Coppell junior forward Reneta Vargas tied the match with a goal, the sustained tension gave way for a more focused play.

“We worked really hard this game,” Coppell senior goalkeeper Zoe Goodale said. “Some of our passes could have been a little cleaner, but we definitely fought as a team. Our work ethic really helped and I’m happy with this match. We wanted to win but we’ll get [a win] next time with how we fight.”

Follow Nanditha Nagavishnu (@nanditha__n) and @SidekickSports on Twitter.