ARABA’S BLAST LIFTS CARRBORO IN OVERTIME IN NCHSAA STATE 2-A WOMEN’S SOCCER FINAL
RALEIGH — Sophomore Miah Araba’s rocket from over 30 yards out with just over six minutes remaining in the second overtime lifted Carrboro to a 2-1 victory over East Bend Forbush on Saturday in a thrilling North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 2-A women’s soccer championship game at Dail Soccer Field at North Carolina State University.
Number 8 Charly McCormick of Forbush with ball as Carrboro defenders Miah Araba (10) and Kenza Araba (2) close in.
Araba, with a goal and an assist on the hot afternoon, was named the championship Most Valuable Player.
The 80-minute regulation time ended in a scoreless tie, although both teams had some great opportunities to score in the final minutes. Carrboro had a clear shot with about eight minutes to play and then a Forbush follow shot hit the post with five minutes remaining.
Then there were two goals scored within 65 seconds of one another in the first overtime. Carrboro finally broke the ice with a goal in the 85th minute when Kiara Hallows tallied off an assist from Araba. Then just about a minute later, off a set piece on a corner kick Nancy Rios found Shannon Holden in a scramble in front of the net and the Falcons had tied it.
Number 6 Carla Sparling for Carrboro.
Araba’s long-range blast found the back of the net in the 94th minute to make it 2-1, and the Jaguars held on to win.
Carrboro had 10 shots to five for Forbush but both teams had the ball in the attacking third enough for several corner kick opportunities. The Falcons had seven and Carrboro five. Keeper Jessica Funk had six saves for Forbush.
The Jaguars finished 21-0-1 and had allowed only one goal in the entirety of the season entering the final, and that back in March in a non-league game against Chapel Hill. Forbush ended the campaign 21-3-1.
Carrboro made its third trip to the NCHSAA women’s soccer, with the Jaguars winning the title in 2012 and losing in the finals in 2011, and the Jaguars have an outstanding all-time record in women’s soccer playoffs of 28-6. Forbush was in the championship for the fourth time but is still looking for its initial women’s soccer state title, and the Falcons have been in the NCHSAA playoffs 17 times with a 38-17 all-time mark.
The Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance serves as the primary host city partner for the women’s soccer championship.
NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
STATE 2-A WOMEN’S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP
Dail Soccer Field, N.C. State University
1 2 OT OT Final
Forbush 0 0 1 0 1
Carrboro 0 0 1 1 2
SCORING
85th minute C—Kiara Hallows (Miah Araba)
86th minute F— Shannon Holden (Nancy Rios)
94th minute C—Miah Araba