Bloom-Carroll and Fairfield Union duke it out in another epic battle
CARROLL – In the last 10 years, rivals Bloom-Carroll and Fairfield Union have certainly had their share of epic battles, and both teams are regarded as the best two programs when it comes to girls’ soccer in the Mid-State League-Buckeye Division.
Whenever they face each other, it’s always going to be a hard-fought struggle, and the winner, more times than not, is usually crowned league champs.
The Falcons took a 1-0 halftime, but to Bloom-Carroll’s credit, they battled back, not once, but twice after falling behind. Trailing 2-1 late in the game, Savannah Wilde scored on an assist from Mackenzie Haslett, and the game would end in a 2-2 tie.
Fairfield Union took a 1-0 lead after Katie McMahon found the back of the net on an unbelievable shot from 30 yards out that barely made it inside the top bar over the outstretched hands of Bloom-Carroll sophomore goalie Elizabeth Cline.
Wilde scored the Bulldogs’ first goal in the second half with 19:23 remaining past a diving Fairfield Union goalie Maycee Martindill. However, the Falcons responded two minutes later and seemed to have all the momentum when freshman Peyton Hughes knocked in a shot with a crowd in front of the net with 15:52 left to give the Falcons a 2-1 lead.
“It is a rivalry, and we know it is going to be a battle every time we play them,” Bloom-Carroll coach Mark Casperson said. Both teams are relatively young, so this battle will continue for many years to come. It was an exciting night of soccer. We had more shots, we had more possessions, and we had more passes, but that’s the beauty of soccer and it comes down to finishing. They were very clinical in their finishing, and they defended well, and their keeper did an outstanding job.
The Falcons slipped to 7-1-1 overall, while Bulldogs are 5-1-2 overall, but remain unbeaten in league play with a 4-0-1 mark. Fairfield Union has one loss in the league, so if both teams win out in MSL play, the Bulldogs will clinch their third consecutive league title. Even though the Falcons have come up short in the league play the last two years, they have won back-to-back Southeast Division II district championships.
“You always circle this game because the atmosphere is fantastic and the players on both sides are always highly engaged,” Fairfield Union coach Casey Bischof said. “We are always going to take each other’s best shot, and those are the games that are going to make you better. Both programs have been battling for years and we always look forward to this game. It’s always a fun soccer game.”
Tom Wilson is a sports reporter for the Lancaster Eagle-Gazette. Contact him at 740-689-5150 or via email at twilson@gannett.com for comments or story tips. Follow him on Twitter @twil2323.
This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: Another epic battle between rivals: B-C and Falcons battle to a 2-2 tie
