A week after earning its first victory of the season, the Cardinal girls’ soccer team picked up its best result of the year after rallying back from a two-goal deficit to tie host Edgewood on Thursday, 4-4.
“This was the best this team has played since Cardinal formed a girls team, the best so far this year and the girls knew it,” Cardinal coach Vanessa Pintabona said. “They had incredibly high energy when they came off at halftime and even with a score of 3-1, they were confident they were still in this game. They were so positive and hyped. I was so proud of their attitudes.”
After being outscored 15-0 in their previous two games, the Huskies had every reason to hang their heads and ride out the final 40 minutes against the Warriors.
Instead, they dug deep and scored the necessary goals to earn the draw.
“One of our biggest struggles as a team right now is not deflating when the other team scores or pulls ahead,” Pintabona said. “This time, even down two points, that didn’t happen. If anything, it made them fight harder to even the score. We’ve been working hard at practice and all those skills have continued to improve and translate to their games and every single girl on the field was showing those improvements. I saw girls consistently execute things on the field I don’t normally see out of them. It was really exciting.”
Kayla Valentine converted two penalty kicks in the game.
“Kayla Valentine is one of the most consistent, reliable players we have,” Pintabona said. “With our stellar freshman goalie, Madi Rosenberger, now on the team, we’ve been able to utilize Kayla on the field far more this year. When she has the ball, her movements are always economical, never frantic or rushed and so smart. She knows how to place the ball exactly where she wants it and has so much strength in her playing.”
Bella Pollack and Anna Blubaugh each scored a goal for the Huskies.
“Bella Pollack is so talented and versatile. We can put her in any position and know she’ll excel at it. If she breaks through the other team’s defense and gets a run on them, she’s almost guaranteed to get a goal,” Pintabona said. “Anna Blubaugh killed it. I lost count of how many runs she had on goal; we already know she’s fast but she pushed herself to the limit. She played with incredible energy and passion, never giving up or quitting. I was especially proud of her.”
Rosenberger was impressive in keeping the Warriors from doing more damage and Mya Revak, Audrey Avalon and Sydney Spitler also played key roles in the result.
“Mya Revak had great ball control and well-placed passes,” Pintabona said. “Madi Rosenberger wasn’t afraid to dive on balls being actively kicked by an opposing player and stayed strong after being scored on multiple times. Sydney Spitler consistently led and held a strong defense and Audrey Avalon didn’t let a questionable yellow card affect her strength and perseverance. I really could say something great about every team member. Everyone stayed positive and kept fighting until the end, even the reserve players were supportive and encouraging, cheering for their teammates on the field.”
Cardinal hosts Shaw on Tuesday.
