2019 Maryville girls soccer. (Photo by Danny Parker)
Maryville opens Class AAA Tournament with win
The Maryville girls’ soccer team got their first state-tournament win since 2015 via a 3-2 win Wednesday against Science Hill at the Richard Siegel Soccer Complex in Murfreesboro.
The Lady Rebels improve to 18-3-3 this season, helping rinse away the sour taste of first-round exits in 2016 and 2018.
Maryville will square off with Brentwood (15-0) in the Class AAA state semifinals at 2:30 p.m. Eastern on Thursday in Murfreesboro. The game will be played on Field No. 1 at the complex.
Brentwood ousted Siegel, 3-0, in the quarters on Wednesday.
Maryville and Science Hill (19-4-1) reached the halftime break tied at 1-all. But second half-goals from senior Reyna Coston (penalty kick) and freshman Kayla Barr (unassisted) pushed Maryville out front, 3-1.
Science Hill added a score with roughly 11 minutes to play, but the Maryville defense fended off any Lady Hilltoppers hopes for overtime. Maryville keeper Grayson Patterson had eight saves.
Coston led Maryville with two goals.
Greeneville advances in Class AA; Knox Central’s historic season ends
Lindsey Cook, Macy Vermillion, Delana Debusk, Emily Graham each scored a goal apiece in the match’s first 15 minutes, and Greeneville turned that early lead into a cake walk, 11-2, past Chester County into the state semifinals.
Debusk finished with four goals and an assist. Sydney Finchum added a hat trick and an assist. Vermillion assisted two goals, and
Greeneville wound up with 19 shots on goal. Chester County had three.
Greeneville (17-7) will take on Murfreesboro Central (17-2-3) at 7:30 p.m. Eastern in Thursday’s state semifinals. The Lady Greene Devils are seeking their third state title overall, having won it in 2015 and 2016.
Murfreesboro Central, a state-tournament rookie, eliminated Knoxville Central, 2-0, on Wednesday, spoiling the state-tournament debut of the Lady Bobcats (13-7-2).
Cosby, Alcoa move on to Class A semifinals
Who needs history?
Cosby, making its first-ever appearance in a state soccer tournament, played like a defending champion.
The Lady Eagles recorded 17 shots on goal and blanked Westview, 7-0, behind four goals and two assists from Leah Murray. McKenzie Owen and Leia Groat each scored a goal and logged an assist, and Cosby delivered Westview its second loss of the season.
Cosby (16-4-1) advanced to Thursday’s state semifinals, where they’ll take on defending-champion Signal Mountain (12-9) on Field No. 1 at 8 p.m. Eastern.
Meanwhile, Alcoa (13-5) will join Cosby in the Class A state semifinals after the Lady Tornadoes survived a tight 1-0 affair with 2018 runner-up Merrol Hyde (14-4-1) of Hendersonville.
In the first half, McKinna Murr scored the lone goal for Alcoa, which will face Adamsville (13-2-1) in the state semifinals at 8 p.m. Thursday on Field No. 3.
Alcoa won it all in 2017 and reached the state semifinals in 2018.
DIVISION II
No Division II-A teams from the Knoxville area made the field.
However, Catholic (12-7) will represent in the Division II-AA state semifinals on Thursday against Briarcrest (15-1).