Garrison scores five in rout of Raiders
Apr. 30—Even if it wins out, Lee County will likely have to wait until the last days of the regular season to see if it will win a share of the Sandhills Athletic Conference title this spring.
But even if the Lady Jackets don't, there is still plenty that the seventh-ranked team in the 3A East Regional can accomplish.
Three days after a loss to Pinecrest dropped Lee into a second-place tie in the standings with the Patriots, Lee returned to action Friday night with a road trip to Richmond, and took care of business with a 7-0 round of the Lady Raiders.
The Lady Jackets (15-4, 7-2 SAC) led 4-0 at the half and tacked on three more goals after the break. Richmond (7-9-3, 3-6-1) was able to avoid being mercy-ruled, but the home team rarely posed much of a threat and Lee controlled possession time. Senior keeper Diana Ponce made six saves and claimed her eighth shutout win of the season.
However, the big story of the evening was another huge performance from senior Gillian Garrison, who not only achieved the hat trick, but went two more goals past that for a total of five. It marked the fourth time this season that Garrison had five or more goals in a single match, and her total of 46 goals is fourth among all players in North Carolina, and first in both the SAC and in the NCHSAA 3A ranks. Among all high school players in North Carolina, she ranks 17th.
Lee's other two goals were scored by Lila Moshfegh and Lily Currin. Assists were credited to Brittany Guerrero Montiel, Ava Baldwin, Ava Perez, and to Ponce, out of the keeper position. Baldwin had two saves and the others one each.
Lee and Pinecrest are both 7-2 in conference play, one game in the loss column back of Union Pines (13-3-1, 9-1). The Lady Jackets need to win out, including what should be a challenge at rival Southern Lee on Wednesday night, and pull for Pinecrest to knock off Union Pines on Thursday. Such a scenario would give the Lady Jackets no worse than a share of the SAC crown.
The Lady Jackets' final week of the regular season begins tonight with a 6 p.m. home match against last-place Scotland, before traveling to Southern Lee. The regular season ends Friday night with a rematch at home against Richmond.
