Before her team’s rivalry showdown against Faith Christian, Kent Denver girls soccer coach Krista Sahrbeck reiterated that, despite the impressive first half of the season put together by the Sun Devils, the club remained singularly focused on dominating the Class 3A Metro League.
The No. 2-ranked Sun Devils made an emphatic statement Tuesday, using a pair of long-range goals to post a 3-2 victory against the No. 5-ranked Eagles in a match delayed early during the first half because of nearby lightning strikes.
Kent (6-2-1, 2-0) equaled the number of goals Faith had allowed in its first seven games while improving to 2-0-1 against teams currently ranked in the top five of Class 3A.
Sophomore Havana McElvaine paced the host Sun Devils by scoring the tying goal on a long free kick and adding an assist on Natalie Ricci’s winning goal minutes later.
“Great, great win,” Sahrbeck said. “I’m just really proud of the girls, with the lightning and the stoppage and that unique kind of start-and-go. It is a testament that we came from behind, and that is the first time this season we had to deal with that at the 3A level.”
Kent struck first when a corner kick by Aubrie Pike deflected into the net off Faith goalkeeper Aubri Swan, but the Eagles tied the game 1-1 on a rebound goal by Alison Pott in the 11th minute.
Faith (7-1, 1-1), recaptured the lead early in the second half on a goal by Caroline Jenkins, but McElvaine’s perfectly placed strike on a long free kick from the right sideline tied the match at 2-2. McElvaine found Ricci for the winner about two minutes later.
The loss might prove less costly to the Eagles than a seemingly serious right knee injury suffered by leading goal-scorer Arianna Brennan in the second minute.
“We really kept in mind the attacking mentality,” McElvaine said. “Whenever we play Faith, it is really a bloodbath, so we had to keep pushing.”
Faith Christian 1 1 — 2
Kent Denver 1 2 — 3
Goals — KD: Pike (unassisted), 9th minute; FC: Pott (Ward), 11th; Jenkins (Lawler), 42nd; KD: McElvaine (unassisted), 47th; Ricci (McElvaine), 51st.
Shots on goals — Faith Christian 5-7 — 12; Kent Denver 2-3 — 5. Saves — Faith Christian (Swan 2); Kent Denver (Kraus 10). Corner kicks — Faith Christian 1-1 — 2; Kent Denver 3-1 — 4. Fouls — Faith Christian 1-4 — 5; Kent Denver 3-8 — 11. Yellow cards — KD: McElvaine, Campbell.
