Just over 24 hours prior to its biggest match of the season, the Coppell girls soccer team ended practice taking free kicks for fourty-five minutes.
One after another and another and another.
The following day, this practice scenario came to fruited as the Cowgirls cashed in with a 5-1 victory on Friday over Mansfield Lake Ridge at Buddy Echols Field to move one step closer to defending its state championship.
The Cowgirls now advance to the Class 6A Region I finals against Keller on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at Keller IS Athletics Complex.Coppell defeated Keller, 2-0 on Jan. 2.
“They are an incredibly athletic, physical team,” Coppell coach Craig Able said. “I tell the girls all the time that: your job is to adjust, your job is to make the changes. And they made the changes that they needed to take care of business, and I am truly proud of them.”
Four minutes remain on the clock in the first half of the match, Lake Ridge takes a shot that curves. Coppell senior goalkeeper Kelsey Clark jumps up in reach and makes contact and pushes the ball over the net.
25 minutes remain, Coppell junior forward Logan Kutchins gains possession and takes it to the goalie box, shoots straight into the right side of the net.
Off a throw-in, Coppell senior Rachel Mathew’s header over the goalkeeper gave the Cowgirls a 2-0 lead with 22 minutes left in the first half.
Coppell freshman defender Lainey Wells found the back of the net in the second half, followed by a goal from Lake Ridge.
The Cowgirls translated their performance into another goal, Esha Polishetty’s goal with 14 minutes remaining pushed the team back to three goals.
After a yellow card and a sub, an assist from Kutchins anchored a goal just off the right edge of Coppell senior Neerali Kapadia foot, two Eagles both stopped as Kapadia’s leg opened toward the goal with eight minutes remaining.
The crowd roared in delight.
“I’m just very proud of these girls,” Able said. “They battled incredibly hard, they played as a team tonight, they worked hard, they defended and they attacked as a team, and played together as one unit and didn’t rely on one person or one moment.”
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