Sachse junior midfielder Kate McCallister set up multiple goals for the Lady Mustangs’ girls’ soccer team in a 5-0 win over Waco Midway in a Class 6A Division I area-round playoff game from Midlothian ISD Multipurpose Stadium on Tuesday, March 25. Photo by David Wolman / C&S Media
By David Wolman
MIDLOTHIAN — The only thing that slowed down the momentum of the Sachse girls’ soccer team during their 5-0 Class 6A Division I area-round playoff win over Waco Midway on Tuesday, March 25, from Midlothian ISD Multi-Purpose Stadium was time.
With time winding down in the first half, Sachse freshman Emma Ramirez-Acosta kicked the ball into the top of the net for what appeared to be the third goal of the game for the Lady Mustangs, and her second of the evening.
Sachse players pointed at the game clock to indicate that the ball had crossed the goal line before the expiration of the game clock, but the head referee waved the goal off. Time had expired prior to the ball crossing the line — one of two goals for Sachse that were called back in the first half; the other on an offsides infraction.
“I don’t think that I’ve seen two goals called back in one half of play,” said Kristen Campbell, Sachse head coach. “But the good thing is that we were getting the ball on goal.”
Ten minutes later, Mother Nature intruded.
Just as the second half was about to get underway, a 1-hour, 34-minute lightning delay that ensued forced the two teams to have to wait out the passing of nearby thunderstorm in separate buildings adjacent to the stadium.
“We had to work through a little bit of time doing nothing and sitting on that momentum,” Campbell said. “They were still focused, played focused the whole time.”
Weather delay and all, Sachse was in full control of the game.
Using a combination relentless defensive pressure and speed, the Lady Mustangs generated numerous offensive counters, including a breakaway by senior forward Raeya Carthon.
Carthon’s breakaway and subsequent shot, which came in the sixth minute, was saved by Waco Midway’s goalkeeper. But there was only so long that the Lady Panthers could slam the door on a talented Lady Mustangs’ offense.
In the 15th minute, sophomore midfielder Lia Lopez kicked the ball from more than 40 yards away from the net, and the ball went over the Waco Midway goalkeeper and into the back of the net for a 1-0 Sachse lead.
That advantage grew to 2-0 with just over 11 minutes remaining in the opening half thanks to great play-making from junior midfielder Kate McCallister. McCallister saw an opening in the middle of the field and delivered an accurate pass to Ramirez-Acosta, who struck the ball into the back of the net for a goal.
“We knew that they were going to come out and be physical and aggressive and organized,” Campbell said. “We knew that we had to come out and do the same. Once we saw what was working, we didn’t let up. It was really a whole team effort. We also talked about defending as a team, and that is something that we did really well.”
Following the long weather delay, Sachse continued to remain aggressive, but still only maintained a two-goal advantage.
A mistake by Waco Midway in the 58th minute led to a much-needed goal for Sachse. After a bad goal kick by the Lady Panther goalkeeper landed on the foot of a waiting Lady Mustang player, the ball eventually got to Carthon, who kicked the ball around the arm of that keeper for a goal and a 3-0 Sachse lead.
“She’s been wanting one, and she’s been working as hard as she can,” Campbell said. “She typically has three or four people on her typically anytime in the game. She was faced in a hard situation, but she perseveres no matter what.”
More great playmaking by McCallister allowed Sachse’s lead to grow to 4-0. McCallister noticed that senior Gracie Groothuis wide open in the middle of the field, and Groothuis kicked an accurate pass from McCallister past the Waco Midway goalkeeper with 14:25 remaining in the second half.
“She was everywhere,” Campbell said of McCallister. “She is someone that can play anywhere on the field. She makes a big impact, and she did that in so many different places the whole time. She did a great job.”
Junior Kylee Blair capped off the scoring for the Lady Mustangs (17-5-2) after she tapped in a rebound for a 5-0 Sachse lead.
“That game was a great game,” Campbell said. “It feels good to go to the third round, but just winning like that is always a fun time.”
Sachse will play Klein Oak in the regional semifinals later this week on a date and at a location still to be determined.
“They want to prove something because they also went three rounds last year,” Campbell said.
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