So close: Chapin girls soccer falls short in state championship game vs. Clover
Chad Bridges said one of the strengths of his Chapin soccer team is its resilience.
The Eagles showed it during Friday’s Class 5A girls state championship game against Clover. Chapin bounced back from an early two-goal deficit to make things interesting.
But Clover came up with a couple big stops in the second half, including a big save by goalie Gabriella Gudeman, to defeat Chapin, 2-1, at Memorial Stadium in Columbia.
It was the first state championship for the Clover girls program.
“Penalty kick within the first five minutes of the game put us behind the eight ball a little bit, but we are resilient and will fight back,” said Bridges, Chapin’s coach. “I really thought if we did a little better in the second half, controlling the ball a little more. … But their keeper made some good saves, and that’s the way soccer goes sometimes.”
After the match, Bridges gathered his team and reminded them about positives of the season as many of them were shedding tears.
The loss ended one of the winningest seasons in Chapin history. It was the Eagles first 20-win season since 2022, their first championship appearance since 2017 and their fourth overall title game appearance.
The Eagles’ postseason run included a thrilling 1-0 overtime win over West Ashley on Tuesday and the school’s first win over Wando on May 4.
“We had a great season, and I’m super proud to be their coach and proud of these girls,” Bridges said. “I hate we didn’t come through for our four seniors, but we have a very talented team coming back. … We have been to a state championship now, and I honestly believe we will be back.”
This was the second meeting of the season between the two teams. Chapin beat Clover, 3-2, on Feb. 22 on the first day of Spring Valley’s Viking Cup.
Clover came out strong, scoring twice in the first 15 minutes to take a 2-0 lead. Senior Marilia Nieves scored on a penalty kick three minutes into the match. The Kentucky signee was tackled on a breakaway to set up the first goal of the game and her 18th of the season.
Clover made it 2-0 in the 15th minute on Olivia Maurer’s goal. It was just the sophomore’s third career goal, second coming this season.
“It was big,” Nieves said of Clover’s start. “I think it helped keep our confidence, too. From there on, we kept working hard and left it on the field.”
After that, Bridges said his Chapin team settled down and was able to land a few corner kicks and scoring opportunities. The Eagles had a first half goal wiped off for an offside call.
But Chapin was finally able to break through as Darcy Ahern broke through on a rebound from the right side to cut Clover’s lead to 2-1 in the 26th minute. It was Ahern’s team-high 27th goal of the season.
Ahern nearly evened things up with less than 10 minutes left in the match, but Gudeman made the biggest save of the match.
“We were so lucky to have Gabrielle back,” Clover coach Kelsey Black said of her goalie. “She has been battling injury and we got her back just before the playoffs and she has been rock solid.”
Black added of the first championship in school history: “I was holding my breath for the last two minutes until the horn went off. It was tears of joy. These kids did awesome. Amazing.”
