Red Raiders Clinch Region 1 Championship
Greenville High beat Seneca 6 - 3 in the last conference match of the season on Monday evening, April 28, but it took ten extra minutes to remove any doubts in double overtime.The Red Raiders made sure of first spot with a rousing overtime performance. The match was high-paced throughout, with both teams attacking from the start. Greenville had more than twice as many shots, but wasted several good opportunities. Emilie Nicholson put Seneca up 1-0 in the 13th, before Reed Few leveled in the 23rd with a deflected shot. But the defensive deficiencies on the visitors' side were apparent again after half-time when a monumental blunder gifted Seneca a 46th minute lead to Brianna Kay. Greenville was quick to reestablish their momentum. Allie Waters took advantage of the tail wind and powered a shot from 23 yards high into the net. Seneca's heads did not drop, though, and they had good chances to level again, but it was the visitors who were handed the opportunity they craved when Ali Lewis was dragged down in the box by two defenders 8 minutes from time. Waters strode up and slotted home the penalty kick to give the Lady Raiders a 3-2 lead. At that point, the Wildcats looked spent. Yet, from virtually nothing, they were given a new lease of life in the last minute when Courtney Pund's long ball found Nicholson who dribbled through three Greenville defenders and equalized to take the match into overtime.
Seneca's brave second-half performance appeared to have taken its toll as the Raiders' pace and movement began to stretch tiring legs. Greenville attacked relentlessly. Lewis could no longer be controlled by Seneca's back line. She scored two goals in as many minutes. Just three minutes later, senior Reed Few scored her second goal of the match to increase the lead to three.
