Lady Cavaliers have eyes on playoffs
Apr. 26—A team isn't supposed to have one of of the worst records in the state and then come back a year late and kick its way into the playoffs.
Yet, that is exactly what Southern Lee women's soccer has a chance to achieve.
A year ago, Southern Lee posted a 3-14 record and finished ahead of just a handful of teams in the MaxPreps 3A East power ratings, not even within shouting distance of the postseason bubble. However, this year's Lady Cavaliers have made one of the state's largest turnarounds.
Southern (9-6 overall) clobbered Scotland 10-1 Wednesday night in Laurinburg for its fourth win in five matches, and in the MaxPreps ratings released in the wee hours of Thursday morning, moved into the No. 31 spot in the 3A East. The top 32 teams make the playoffs.
It was the second win in as many days for the Lady Cavaliers, who beat Hoke 3-1 Tuesday night at the same time Southern's baseball and softball teams were earning huge victories over rival teams on the other side of the campus. Wednesday's win involved a trip to Laurinburg, but Scotland (2-11-1, 0-8 SAC) did not have a prayer of upending Southern Lee. The match was called in the 58th minute of play as a 10-1 win for the Lady Cavs, who improved to 4-5 in conference play.
It was the second time in nine days that Southern dispatched the Fighting Scots by that score. Tuesday's win over Hoke, one of the 4A teams in the Sandhills Athletic Conference, was more of a challenge. Southern won this match 3-1 on a hat trick from sophomore Ryan Phillips. Logan Hickman had two assists and Brooke Burrus one.
Southern's lone loss in the past two weeks came at Pinecrest last week. The Lady Cavaliers checked off Jordan-Matthews (4-1), Scotland (10-1), lost to the Patriots, then beat Hoke and Scotland again. They traveled to Hoke Thursday night in a match that ended after press time, and will visit Jordan-Matthews on Monday.
Pinecrest 4, Lee County 1The Lady Jackets were unable to complete the season sweep of the Patriots, falling 4-1 Tuesday night in a road match.
The loss continued a trend where the top three teams in the league, Lee, Pinecrest, and Union Pines, have been beating each other in a circle. The Lady Jackets (14-4, 6-2 SAC) dropped into second place in the league, tied with Pinecrest and one loss back of Union Pines (12-3-1, 8-1), but has the advantage in that they are done with the other two and split with both. Union Pines and Pinecrest still must face each other on May 2.
The match was the first in six days for Lee County, the seventh-ranked team in the NCHSAA 3A East RPI on Thursday morning, one spot ahead of Union Pines. Gillian Garrison scored the lone goal for Lee. Keeper Diana Ponce made seven saves.
The Lady Jackets travel to Richmond on Friday night.
