This article was written by Alex Becker, class of 2019.
After 90 minutes of play and one goal scored, the Lady Patriots soccer team will move on to the FHSAA Class 3A State Tournament to try to win its eleventh state championship. The Lady Patriots defeated the Pines Charter Jaguars 1-0 at home Friday to win the district championship, after previously dominating the Coconut Creek Cougars 9-0 on Wednesday.
The Lady Patriots fired on all cylinders against the Cougars in the district semifinals, netting the ball nine times from seven different players. Goal scorers included: senior forward Chloe Laureano (2), freshman midfielder Savannah Hydes, senior forward Mandy Kopecki (2), senior defender Andrea Cabrera, freshman forward Emily Thompson, sophomore forward Alyssa Aris and sophomore goalkeeper Jenna Lowery, while senior goalkeeper Elizabeth Matei chalked up the shut out.
Flipping the script in the district final, the team played a more defensive game with only one goal scored by Kopecki coming off an assist from junior forward Olivia Roth. Despite the low-scoring affair, the lone goal was enough to get the team back to the state tournament.
The Lady Patriots will play in the regional quarterfinals Tuesday, Feb. 5.
