WILMINGTON — It felt more like early March than early May when Archmere took on Delaware Military in girls soccer on May 3, but the Auks didn’t let a little cold and rain slow down their offense. The Auks scored twice in nine minutes in the second half to earn a 3-1 victory over the Seahawks at Fusco Memorial Field.
The lone goal of the first half came in the fifth minute, when Emma Gioffre converted a pass from Hannah Stewart.
The second half began with play primarily in the middle of the field, but as a light rain began to fall, the teams began to stretch the field. Gioffre fired a shot off the side of the net in the 48th, but that was one of the few chances the Auks were able to generate despite controlling possession.
The Seahawks got their offense going, earning a corner kick in the 51st. That did not result in a goal, but DMA kept the pressure on. Good defense on an Auks goal kick led to a chance for Sidney Ziegler in the 50th, and she did not miss. Her sharp-angle shot hit the far side of the net to tie the score.
Archmere reversed the momentum rather quickly, and they recaptured the lead in the 56th minute. With sleet falling, Christina Rosenbaum inbounded a corner kick that rolled through some bodies in front and into the net.
The teams traded chances for the next several minutes. Delaware Military had two free kicks stopped by Auks goalkeeper Gabriela Fernandez, the second one coming from the edge of the 18-yard box. Archmere headed two corner kicks just a bit high, and in the 62nd minue, Gioffre turned a counter into a chance. She spun away from a Seahawks defender and sent a shot ticketed for the upper right corner, but DMA keeper Jennifer Klumpp made a spectacular save, leaping high to her left to deflect the ball over the crossbar.
Finally, in the 65th, after the Auks took control of a DMA goal kick, Sophia Tobin found an open Marina Mahon, who added an insurance goal.
The Auks outshot the Seahawks, 13-6, and had a 7-1 edge in corner kicks. Fernandez stopped four shots. Archmere (8-2) hosts Conrad on Monday at 3:45 p.m.
For Delaware Military, Klumpp made 10 saves. DMA fell to 8-3-1 and will go to Caravel on May 10 at 6:15 p.m.
All photos by Mike Lang.
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