Walls' overtime goal lifts Perryville past North East

PERRYVILLE — In Wednesday's county matchup between Perryville and North East, both teams generated a similar amount of scoring chances. The Indians put eight shots on goal and the Panthers totaled six.

The only converted opportunity of those 14 shots served as the game-ending moment.

The Panthers broke a 0-0 tie on a 2-on-1 opportunity in overtime when forward Nadalie Adams sent a cross-field pass to Macy Walls. The dish gave Walls a breakaway chance, who squeezed her ensuing shot just inside the post and handed Perryville a 1-0 win.

"She gets a majority of the fast breaks, she's amazing at her fast breaks," Walls said of Adams. "I am left or right wing, but I try and stay up with her so we can do a nice give-and-go and usually that works pretty well for us."

Adams said she saw the play develop as she moved up into the North East zone.

"We had the energy to give and it ended up working," Adams said. "We practice it all the time and it's something we try to do every game."

North East opened the overtime period with a chance to end the game on a breakaway opportunity from Aubrey Hash. Perryville goalie Berlyn Griffin came out of the net and made a diving save to keep the game tied at zero. Griffin finished with eight stops. North East goalie Zabdi Galdamez totaled six saves.

"She's going places," Defender Jenna Clark said of Griffin. "She works hard, we come out on the weekends and practice and she always texts me and asks me for feedback."

The Indians controlled the possession through much of the first quarter with Perryville able to take control of the ball more in the second frame. Coming out of the half, both teams generated scoring chances. On a 2-on-1 opportunity in the third quarter, Adams connected with midfielder Emma Lidy on a pass to the left side of the net, but Lidy's shot bounced just wide.

A North East shot ricocheted off the post at the end of the third and kept the game tied. A fourth quarter chance for North East's Kira Howell was saved by Griffin, followed by a scrum in front of the net with multiple stops by the Panthers' goalie on second-chance opportunities. Both teams attempted seven penalty corners.

"Our coaches give us really good feedback," Walls said of Perryville's adjustments to generate more chances. "And we're able to usually build and work off of that feedback."

North East (1-5) will host C. Milton Wright (3-2-1) on Friday. Perryville (4-2) will visit North Harford (2-4) on Oct. 2.