Georgetown Elite Invitational Tournament – 01.12 – 01.14

The Varsity Stratford Girls Soccer team boarded a yellow SBISD school bus just after second period on Thursday morning to make their way to central Texas for a three-game tournament with some of the best teams in the state.

vs. San Angelo Central High School – 01.12.23

The first game on the slate was San Angelo Central High School. This match felt as if the Lady Bobcats had brought their West Texas wind with them, as we were getting winds blowing 25 mph out of the north before the game even started. This would end up playing a big factor in the match. San Angelo Central came out early and pressed the action, controlling the match until they broke through our defense for 1-0 lead at the 9’ mark. The match play settled down and was pretty even after the opening goal. A wind-aided punt from Senior Goalie Allison Zilafro was run onto by Freshmen Sydney Valentine, who missed just wide on the far post midway through the first half. Senior Lauren Ahearn missed wide on the near post with 5 minutes to play, and Sophomore Whitney Bui missed just wide on the near post to close out the first half down 1-0 to the Bobcats. Wind was in our favor in the first half and against us in the second half. Senior Erica Eastman started the second half in goal for the Spartans and was put to the test right away with a great save at the 41’ mark. Soon after, Sophomore Mary Paul drove the ball to the end line and crossed to Valentine for the equalizer in the 43’ (1-1). San Angelo Central responded immediately with a goal just two minutes later to retake the lead 2-1. Eight minutes into the second half, the Lady Bobcats earned a free kick just outside our penalty area, but the defensive Stratford wall blocked the shot, and Eastman was able to handle the deflection. The remainder of the game was pretty evenly matched, but even with multiple shot opportunities in the later moments of the match, Stratford was unable to convert, and the game ended in a loss, 2-1.

vs. Grapevine High School – 01.13.23

The Spartans were back at it again early on Friday, to take on the 2022 5-A State Champion Runner-Up in Grapevine High School. The GHS Mustangs got off to a quick start, just seven minutes into the game, following a huge punt that they were able to take up the far-right side, and fire a laser shot to the far-left post, where no one could get to it, putting the Lady Mustangs up 1-0. At the 10’ mark, off of a ball that was sent out of bounds on the Spartan end of the field, we would get to see the first of several incredible throw-ins by the Grapevine outside back. This first throw-in was hurled all the way to the front-middle of the goal, where it was re-directed in off a header to take the score to 2-0. Just seven minutes later, again off a throw-in by the Mustangs… the ball this time travels in the air all the way to the back post where it gets headed in at the 18' mark. The game would go to halftime 3-0. The Spartans would regroup at halftime and come back out ready to battle and try to even the match. At the 54’ mark, Sophomore Mary Paul takes a shot from the top of the box and the Grapevine goalie gets a finger on it to send it over the crossbar. Paul was rewarded with the opportunity to take a corner kick from the left side. Her shot gets cleared by the defense to the same side where Senior Kendall Emery was ready and waiting, and she makes the most of the situation and fires the ball right back at the far-right side of the goal and is able to get the Spartans on the board, 3-1. While the second-half play of Stratford was much more aggressive and intense, they were unable to narrow the gap and fell to the Grapevine Mustangs, 3-1.

vs. Hebron High School – 01.13.23

On Saturday morning, your Spartans packed up and left their North Austin hotel for the final match of the trip. They faced another tough opponent out of the Dallas area in the Hebron High School Hawks. The Hawks would start six girls committed to continue their soccer careers in college (three of which would be attending Power 5 schools in: Auburn, Clemson, & Oklahoma), needless to say – it would be a tough match (especially playing in a similar wind to Thursday’s game). However, with that said – not two minutes into the game the Lady Spartans would have their opportunity to strike first. On a ball sent out of bounds by Hebron on the end line, Sophomore Mary Paul took the corner kick, but rather than taking a traditional cross, she played a short pass to waiting Sophomore Whitney Bui, who played a soft looping shot towards the goal and waiting Senior Kristin Geczik, who was able to head the ball past the goalie to put the Spartans up 1-0. At the 20’ mark, Hebron took the ball up the field and caught the Spartan defense too far up and were able to make a run, and go one-on-one with the goalie, firing right-side and evening the score, 1-1, which remained unchanged going into halftime. Three minutes into the second half, Stratford committed a foul outside the box, and Hebron took advantage of the free shot with the wind to the inside post to take the lead 2-1. Not too long after this free kick, the Spartans were called for a handball and rewarded the Hawks with another free kick, which was fired just under the crossbar to send the score to 3-1. Even with those two quick goals, Stratford wouldn’t let that get them down. At the 55’ mark, Sophomore Ryann Weber was able to dribble all the way down to the Hebron endline, past their defenders and take shot, deflecting off the goalie’s glove and into the back of the net to narrow the gap at 3-2. As hard as the girls fought, Hebron was able to find two more goals before the last whistle, for a final score of 5-2. Overall, the Spartans faced a lot of great competition these last few days and will learn a lot from the experience.