Oak Glen’s run ends in state semis
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BECKLEY -- Charleston Catholic's girls soccer team is one win away from a fourth Class AA-A state title in as many years.
In a Class AA-A state tournament semifinal between two previously unbeaten teams on Friday, the Irish (20-0-2) shut out Oak Glen (21-1-2) 2-0 at YMCA Paul Cline Memorial Sports Complex.
Charleston Catholic advances to the Class AA-A final which will be Saturday at 9:30 a.m. Saturday against the winner of the second semifinal between No. 2 Philip Barbour and No. 3 Point Pleasant.
Olivia Persinger and Annie Cimino were the goal scorers for the Irish.
It was the first time Oak Glen had been shut out all season while Charleston Catholic has allowed just four goals this year.
The Irish kept Oak Glen's Kami Ward, who scored 56 goals this season, off the scoreboard.
Catholic coach Amy Mullen said that stopping Ward was one of the keys to victory.
"We were able to stop Kami Ward," Mullen said. "They just kept trying to get it to her. She scared us to death two or three times but we were able to stop her. We got control, we started passing the ball but we couldn't put it in the goal. Their goalkeeper is great. She did a great job."
The Oak Glen defense and goalkeeper Alexus Greenlief, who had 121 saves and 12 goals allowed going into Friday, held the Irish at bay for a majority of the game. Two Catholic goals late in the first half made the difference, though.
Persinger scored in the 29th minute to give Catholic a 1-0 lead and Cimino scored in the 35th minute to put the Irish up 2-0.
"I kept trying to get them to slow down and spread out the field and play it wide," Mullen said. "We did it a little but not to what we practiced. We kept taking shots from outside and you can't."
Mullen and her team won't have much time to think about Friday's win because the Irish had to turn around and play for a state championship Saturday.
"I am worried about tomorrow," Mullen said. "We have to see who comes out between Point Pleasant and Philip Barbour. They're both great teams and they have great players."