NCHSAA State 4-A Girl’s Soccer Championship

CARROLL GOLDEN GOAL GIVES HOUGH WIN IN NCHSAA STATE 4-A WOMEN’S SOCCER FINAL

RALEIGH — Senior forward Courtney Carroll scored a golden goal in the 107th minute to lift Cornelius W.A. Hough to a thrilling 1-0 overtime win over Cary Panther Creek in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 4-A women’s soccer championship game Saturday night at Dail Soccer Field at North Carolina State University.

The teams battled on even terms throughout the regulation 80 minutes and the two 10-minute extra periods, with the explosive offenses kept at bay by stout defense, although Hough did have two great opportunities in the second overtime. Goals had often been hard to come by with these teams, as Panther Creek had recorded 15 shutouts and Hough 20 entering the final.

After one five-minute sudden death session, the Huskies finally ended it in the second sudden death OT period when Carroll lofted a left-footed strike from about 25 yards out that found its way to the back of the net.

Carroll, who is headed to Ole Miss, scored her 29th goal of the season and was named the championship match MVP. Hough senior keeper Marnie Merritt, also going to Ole Miss, had two saves in recording the shutout.

Panther Creek had 10 shots, two on goal, while Hough had nine with six on goal. The Catamounts had five corner kicks to three for Hough.

A relatively new school in just its fourth year, Hough was already playing in its third consecutive NCHSAA women’s title match. The Huskies won the 4-A title in 2012 and lost in the finals to Green Hope a year ago. Hough finished the season with a 25-0-2 mark and has compiled an unbelievable record in women’s soccer of 94-7-4 since the school opened.

Panther Creek, in its first state women’s soccer championship, ended the year 22-1-1.

The Raleigh Sports Consortium serves as the primary host city partner for the women’s soccer championship, along with the Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau.

NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
STATE 4-A WOMEN’S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP
Dail Soccer Field, N.C. State University

                              OT OT SD SD  
   Cornelius Hough      0  0  0  0  0  1 -- 1
   Cary Panther Creek   0  0  0  0  0  0 -- 0

SCORING
107th minute Hough — Courtney Carroll