Junior Hailee Mitchell finally solved North Collins goalkeeper Myah Gabel with less than four minutes remaining in regulation to lead Kendall to a 1-0 victory and their first trip to the girl’s soccer state semi-finals since 2003 when their current head coach, Pam Barchet, was part of the team.
The Eagles had three scoring chances over the first 40 minutes with freshman Grace Robinson feeding Mitchell, whose shot from ten yards out was stopped, the prelude to a familiar theme.
In the 28th minute Mitchell struck a low bullet from 20 yards out that was stopped and later tried from 25 yards out that was also saved by the North Collins keeper.
Kendall goalkeeper Katie Pearson registered a save in the 30th minute and, six minutes later, tipped a header attempt just wide of the post.
The Eagles dominated the second half rarely letting the ball past the offensive side of midfield and had multiple scoring opportunities.
Mitchell wove through defensive traffic on several occasions over the first 35 minutes of the second half, but had five chances stopped as did sophomore Brianna Wakefield in the 59th and 72nd minutes.
Wakefield again came up big for Kendall on one of the few North Collins offensive rushes as she tipped a long shot just over the crossbar in the 73rd minute.
Mitchell finally was able to find the back of the net at 76:12. Taking a feed from Wakefield, she again dribbled through traffic, but this time took one extra dribble to her left after drawing out the goalkeeper. That enabled her to put her low shot past the outstretched arms and send Kendall home a victor.
“Our team worked so hard for this and we kept pushing and pushing and the defense did the best they could,” Mitchell said. “Whatever it took I guess.
“She (Gabel) was amazing; she’s a great goalie and I don’t know what I was thinking—I was just hoping one went in. I tried to change my shooting, but she just kept moving, she was just so good.”
“We didn’t give up and we were relentless and kept pushing and pushing and pushing,” Barchet said. “We possessed the ball so well in first half and kept that momentum going.
“(Kendall keeper) Katie Pearson actually got her hands on the ball (referring to the tip over the crossbar) and that’s something she has been working on throughout the season getting up on those top-shelf balls.”
The Eagles are slated to face Cincinnatus Central (near Cortland) from Section III Saturday, November 10 at 12:30 p.m. at Homer High School with the final Sunday at 10:30 a.m. at Tompkins County Community College.
