ELIZABETHTOWN – Senior Lacey Suggs fired in 3 goals and dished out 2 assists to lead East Bladen’s Lady Eagles to a 5-0 NCHSAA Class 2A Girls Soccer first round play-off victory over Randleman.
Suggs raised her season totals to 40 goals, 26 assists and 106 points.
The Lady Eagles struck quickly as Suggs sent a pass to junior Justyna Gargala who fired in the first goal just 7 minutes into the game. “We worked the ball around and Lacey got behind their backline, then cut the ball back to Justyna who put it in,” said East Bladen Coach Jay Raynor.
“They came out and played a high line,” continued Raynor. “We had worked on moving the ball around, but they were so high that Lacey just ran right past them.”
Suggs scored the next 3 Lady Eagle goals off of assists from Gargala, sophmore Hannah Devane and freshman Ashley Hardin. On the third one she chipped a shot past the goalie from the left side to give East Bladen a 4-0 halftime lead.
Late in the second half, East Bladen tacked on a final goal. “It was really pretty soccer,” said Coach Raynor. “Lacey and Abby Ward just worked the ball back-and-forth then gave it to Justyna who knocked it in.”
“We didn’t play that well, but we got a good result,” added Raynor. “We didn’t threaten much in the second half. It was kind of a struggle.”
Gargala finished with 2 goals, one assist and 8 steals. Suggs and freshman Ting Lin led the team with 9 steals each. Junior Cassie Hill came up with 8 steals, and junior Lexi Mendell finished with 7 steals. Hardin and junior Maddie West totaled 5 steals each, and Ward contributed 4 steals and an assist. Junior Trinity Carroll had 4 steals.
Senior Kathryn Cole posted another shutout in goal for East Bladen and only had to make one save. The Lady Eagles had a 21-1 advantage in shots on goal and a 6-1 edge in corner kicks.
East Bladen improved to 19-2 with the victory and will travel to Kill Devil Hills First Flight Saturday at 5 p.m. for a second round game.
About Author
