Home Local Sports Garcia’s late tally lifts Archmere girls soccer past Delaware Military

Garcia’s late tally lifts Archmere girls soccer past Delaware Military

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Karena Wursthorn chases the ball that she would turn into Archmere's first goal. (The Dialog/Mike Lang)

CLAYMONT – Anna Garcia took a pass from Rebekah Kehoe late in Archmere’s girls soccer game against Diamond State Athletic Conference foe Delaware Military Academy and chipped the ball over the Seahawks’ keeper to lift the Auks to a 2-1 win on March 27.

Garcia’s tally capped the scoring in an exciting second half. DMA, the defending Division II state champions, had tied the game in the 65th minute and had sustained pressure for the first time all afternoon, but that changed in an instant.

The Dialog/Mike Lang

In the 74th minute, the Auks earned their fourth and final corner kick of the match. Gabrielle Witherell’s inbounds pass was cleared out of the 18-yard box by a Seahawks defender, but Kehoe grabbed the loose ball about 35 yards out in front of the DMA bench. She sent a looping pass over the DMA defense, and Garcia and Witherell broke through for a two-on-none opportunity. Garcia lifted the ball over Madison Lemanski for the decisive goal.

Archmere controlled the play most of the game, but the Auks were unable to solve the DMA defense until early in the second half. Karena Wursthorn picked off a pass and dribbled through two defenders. Her shot was deflected by a Seahawk, and Lemanski, who was headed to her left, could only watch as the ball rolled far to her right.

A corner kick in the 62nd minute seemed to get Delaware Military going. The ball rolled through the crease, but the Seahawks kept the pressure on. Two minutes later, Alyssa Ruggeri took a through ball and went in all alone on Auks goalkeeper Abby Jones, who had little chance to stop the shot.

That sparked DMA’s only period of offensive control. The Seahawks were awarded a free kick just outside the 18-yard box in the 70th minute, but Jones stoned Ruggeri with a diving stop. A corner kick a minute later bounced around the crease for several seconds before the Auks cleared it. Mia Patrucci fed Ruggeri in the 72nd, but the Archmere defense blocked that attempt.

The best scoring chance of the first half belonged to the Auks. Again, it came from Wursthorn off a steal, but Lemanski dove to stop the 25-yard effort.

The Auks (1-0) outshot the Seahawks, 6-4, and both teams earned four corners. Jones had three saves. Archmere hosts Conrad on Friday at 3:45 p.m.

Lemanski was credited with four saves. The Seahawks (1-1) take on Wilmington Charter on Monday afternoon at 3:45 at Kirkwood Soccer Club.