Late Wylie goal halts long Honeybee win streak

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Savannah Alford will make her 15th playoff start for Stephenville when the Honeybees face Melissa in a Region I-4A semifinal Friday at Birdville. || TheFlashToday.com file photo

By BRAD KEITH
TheFlashToday.com

STEPHENVILLE (February 15, 2017) — Gracie McCaslin hammered a shot into the upper 90 with four minutes left and No. 9 Abilene Wylie stopped No. 4 Stephenville, 2-1, in a girls 4-4A soccer match at Lem Brock Field Wednesday.

The top 10 showdown was delayed 24 hours by rain storms, but was worth the wait as each team dominated for stretches and battled until the end. Wylie improved to 2-0 in district while Stephenville, 13-2 overall and 1-1 in district play, had its 12-match win streak snapped.

Stephenville came out firing on all cylinders and controlling pace of play over the first 20 minutes of the second half, and after several opportunities came up empty, the Honeybees finally broke through. Alexis De Los Santos played a through ball to freshman Ciara Johnston, who from a difficult angle right of the goal fired her shot over the outstretched Wylie keeper, off the far post and into the back of the net to level the thrilling match at 1-1.

Each team fought for control over the next few minutes before it was finally gained from Wylie. They finally centered a pass from the right flank to the top of the box where McCaslin did the rest with a bullet of a one-timer for the win.

The first half belonged to the visiting team as Wylie kept the ball on the Stephenville side the vast majority of the way and prolific junior striker Randi Dennison sprinted past the last defender to arch up to a nice diagonal pass that put her through one-one-one with the keeper for the first goal.

Stephenville visits Brownwood on Friday. Kickoff at Gordon Wood Stadium is set for 5 p.m.


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