Girls soccer: Stephenville earns I-4A Tournament berth by beating Chapin
MIDLAND The best season in the history of two programs collided Tuesday at Grande Communications Stadium with a regional quarterfinal girls soccer playoff between El Paso Chapin and Stephenville.
Chapin led the game first, but it was Stephenville that led last, earning a 2-1 victory and trip to the inaugural Region I-4A Tournament on Friday and Saturday in Wichita Falls.
The Honeybees (23-4-2), whose roster includes UTPB signee Mariah Cortez and UTPB committee Mikah Smith, advanced to face Canyon Randall at noon Friday in the opening regional semifinal.
"Coming in we talked with the girls up front," Stephenville coach Casey Weil said. "Most of the times they get about 20 chances, but the days of that happening are over. It's five (or) six chances and you have to finish one of them. In the first half, we kind of missed out and gave one up. I thought we kind of gave them one right there and what else can you do but fight back."
Chastity Carillo put Chapin ahead 1-0 in the 29th minute with a hard-earned goal by fighting off a Stephenville defender to poke home a long pass from Kelly English.
While Chapin rode the momentum of its goal into halftime, the athletic Honeybees (23-4-2) came out of the break determined and scored a pair of nice goals in the 46th and 50th minutes to take control.
Caitlyn Cline tied the game 1-1 with a clinical finish off a through ball from Kayla Gregory, who scored the game winner five minutes later by slicing through the Chapin defense on a marvelous 45-yard run.
Stephenville stayed in control the rest of the way to earn the regional semifinal spot opposite of Randall.
"They are a good team and we had our mistakes and they capitalized on them," Chapin head coach Amber Mack said. "That's what happens when you get to this level. You have to play a solid 80 minutes and if you have one mistake, they're going to score. I think we learned some lessons and we know what we'll have to do next year. We'll want it more, and hopefully we'll get back and then make it to state."
