By Thomas Grant, Jr.
For the second straight year, Chapin girls’ soccer head coach Chad Bridges and his team watched another team Saturday celebrate a championship at Memorial Stadium.
This time, it was Eastside that won the “Battle of the Lady Eagles” matchup. The 3-2 win in double overtime of the Class 5A Division II was its third consecutive title after winning two straight in Class 4A.
As for Chapin, it was their third loss in four previous appearances.
“This year was unfinished,” Bridges said. “Last year, we were happy to kind of be here. This year, our goal was kind of get back here and we achieved it. We just didn’t finish it like we had hoped.”
Like last year against Clover, the Lady Eagles of Lexington County took a 1-0 lead in the first half on a goal by Mayson Donohue.
Eastside answered back with two goals to end Chapin’s streak of eight straight shutouts. The first of two goals by senior Payton Nutzman saw her angle a high shot over the reach of goalkeeper Addison Bagnal.
The second goal seven minutes later took place after a free kick for Eastside. Camille Carter reached out to tap the ball kicked directly inside the goal barrier past Bagnal into the net.
With 9:32 left, Lander University signee Kat Haigler tied the match for Chapin. She took the cross pass from Vincent from the left corner and kicked past goalkeeper Madison Clayton to make it 2-2.
The match remained tied through the end of regulation and early in the first 10-minute overtime. It was with 7:14 left when Nutzman scored the game-winning goal for the second straight year.
Kicking from the same area as her first goal, Nutzman lined a hard shot that Bagnal was unable to slow down as it rolled into the net. The three goals scored were the most allowed in a match this season by Chapin, which entered the final having allowed just five all season.
It would not have an opportunity to force another overtime as Clayton ran out the final seconds.
“We knew Eastside was a good team,” Bridges said. “We knew (Nutzman) was a really good special player. I thought we had a game plan to stop her. For the most part, I thought we were effective. We had a lead at halftime. They came back and answered. In soccer, that’s the way it bounces. We had some good chances. We came out short in overtime.
“I’m disappointed for our seniors. I’m disappointed for our growth of girls. We had a great team. We had a great season. I just hate it for them that they weren’t able to get over the line and finish it. It doesn’t take away from what we accomplished. It was a great season that we had.”
The Lady Eagles of Chapin finished the season with a 20-3 record.
(Photos by Thomas Grant Jr.)
