SILER CITY — The Jordan-Matthews girls soccer team was admittedly a bit nervous last Tuesday night in Siler City.
The Lady Jets were hosting Spring Creek in the opening round of the NCHSAA 2A State Playoffs at Phil E. Senter Stadium.
But when the local bunch settled down, the No. 8 seeded Jets rallied for a 4-2 victory.
“Our nerves got the best of them in the first half, and our midfielders and forwards could combine for shots of goal, but nothing was going in,” said J-M coach Chip Millard. “In the defensive end of the field we tried to contain Spring Creek’s fastest striker (Taylor Smith), but she dribbled her way into a 1-on-1 with our goalkeeper and got the first goal.”
Jordan-Matthews would trail Spring Creek 1-0 at the intermission before the visitors from Seven Springs and No. 25 seeded Gators poked in a second goal early in the second half by Mirna Santiago to make the score 2-0.
“We have practiced all season to keep attacking, even when it seems nothing is working,” Millard continued. “If we can keep working to get to goal, and outwork the opponent, at some point the tide will turn.”
And it did for the Lady Jets when, at the mid-mark of the second half, midfielder Iris Granados rocketed into the goal on a free kick to close the deficit to 2-1, and give J-M some much needed momentum.
Two minutes later a pair of Jordan-Matthews forwards connected a few passes to put Granados into free space near goal, and she shot for her second goal of the night to tie the game at 2-all.
Granados wasn’t done, however, and moments later a foul by Spring Creek awarded the Jets another free kick within range of the goal, and again, Granados put it in to complete a hat trick for the Jordan-Matthews junior.
The three goals turned the tide in the game and the Lady Jets continued attacking, which Spring Creek desperately fought to contain.
It was to no avail for the Gators, however, as a great dribble up the left side of the field by midfielder Dani Guerrero Jaimes put herself in range and fired a shot onto the right side oft he goal. Spring Creek goalkeeper Yericka Garcia put a hand on it to stop the goal, but the ball bounced free which allowed J-M right forward Litzy Flores Martinez to smash the ball in for the fourth and final goal of the evening.
The four goal onslaught came in a seven minute span in shocking fashion as the Lady Jets advanced to play Bunn in Siler City on Friday night in second round action.