Marvin Ridge soccer is heading to the regionals. Mavericks dominate Myers Park at home
Marvin Ridge sure ruined the drama Thursday night.
The Mavericks scored a little more than two minutes into their 4A state playoff quarterfinal match against Myers Park, added another goal three minutes later, and a third goal with less than 10 minutes elapsed.
The rest of the match was equally suspenseless, as the sixth-seeded Mavericks (13-4-5) routed 26th seed Myers Park (11-8-1) 6-0.
Marvin Ridge will host Mooresville Tuesday night, with the winner advancing to the 4A state championship match next weekend in Matthews.
Mooresville advanced Thursday with a 2-1 overtime victory at Asheville.
Myers Park had become the Cinderella story of the girls’ soccer playoffs. After an 8-7-1 regular season, coach Bucky McCarley’s team upset the No. 7, No. 10 and No. 2 seeds.
“Eventually, you run into a very talented team that doesn’t let you do what you’ve been doing,” McCarley said. “That happened to us tonight.”
Marvin Ridge is an interesting story.
The Mavericks didn’t look like world-beaters early in the season, going 2-3-4 in their opening nine matches.
“Katie and I were new to coaching, and I think it took a little time to make the adjustment,” said Marvin Ridge head coach Jenna Borrelli, referring to assistant coach Katie Morton. Both are in their first year as coaches.
“But this is a good team with very good players, and we’re coming into our own now,” Borrelli said.
A Myers Park mistake — a hand ball deep in the Mustang zone — set up the first Maverick goal. Isabella Zicchinolfi blasted the free kick, from about 20 yards, past Mustang goalkeeper Avery Sanders. That came at the 2:22 mark of the first half.
At the 5:36 mark, Zicchinolfi took advantage of a defensive breakdown and beat Sanders from 15 yards.
About 9 1/2 minutes into the half, Myers Park gave the ball away at midfield. Zicchinolfi passed to Lucy Chin, who scored from the left side.
“We had been beating team in the playoffs on the counter play,” McCarley said. “Marvin Ridge wasn’t letting us do that tonight, and we didn’t adjust.”
“They are a truly phenomenal team,” he said of the Mavericks.
Chin, Camryn McKee and Jessica Mattson added goals in the second half for Marvin Ridge.
Myers Park had a few chances, with Sarah Redding and Lily Daniel getting good opportunities in the first half. But Marvin Ridge threw a defensive box around the Mustangs’ Amaya Falzarano, who scored three goals Monday against Hough.
“This team was always talented,” Borrelli said of the Mavericks’ so-so start to the season. “We had an early injury here and there, and we had some players adjusting from their travel (league) seasons. But it’s all come together.”
Marvin Ridge outshot Myers Park 18-12 and had nine shots on goal to the Mustangs’ five.
Molly Estes got the clean sheet in goal for the Mavericks.
