Deerfield-Windsor girls advance to Final 4

ALBANY — After watching the boys lose at home in a heartbreaking shutout, the Deerfield-Windsor girls soccer team wasted little time giving the home crowd something to cheer about.

Cheyenne Colvin quickly got the Lady Knights on the board, setting up a 5-1 victory over Tattnall Square Friday night to advance to the GISA Class AAA state semifinals.

“Set the pace, set the tone early on,” Deerfield coach Aly Joslin said when asked about the primary factor in the win. “They wanted to win the game, and they took it to them right away. We got an early goal and once you do that it becomes really difficult for the other team.”

Equally important to an early score is maintaining the right amount of focus and aggressiveness. The Lady Knights covered that when Lexi Ruth Sells scored the team’s second goal with 14:21 left in the first half.

“They all have such a good understanding of each other because they have played together for a long time,” Joslin said of the team’s ability to play off each other. “Some even play year round, which always helps because their commitment makes the game become second nature to them. Whenever you have that from a team you can always expect a good level of something.”

Friday’s “something” came in the form of goals — early and often. Up 2-0 at halftime, Deerfield’s Haley Kincheloe tripled the fun, and the lead, a little more than three minutes into the second half.

“This is our second time making it to the semifinals and, based on last year, we know how it feels to lose,” Kincheloe said. “It felt great to score on a team knowing we were already ahead of them. We are more motivated this year because after we lose last year we said we want to get back there and do better.”

Parker Morgan provided some insurance by scoring the team’s fourth goal with 21:33 minutes left in the match.

“It feels really good knowing that all of us pushed through to the end,” Morgan said. “We fought for this win, and we deserve it.”

Rachel Sullivan was responsible for goal No. 5 as she did just enough to sneak the ball pass Tattnall Square’s Laci Chapman.

“Scoring early really set the tone, but I think we wanted this more than (Tattnall Square),” Sullivan said. “Also, it has a lot to do with how hard we worked.”

The Lady Trojans avoided the shutout when junior Drew Enderson scored on a breakaway with 11 minutes left.

“You have to think that the game is yours the entire time and not get wrapped up in being ahead,” Sullivan said. “Our coaches told us at halftime that being up 2-0 is the worse because there is another half left for the other team to come back and get four or five goals on you.”

While the Lady Knights are not shy about their aspirations of winning state, they are careful not to overlook Monday’s Final Four game.