Calvert, Northern girls soccer play to 1-1 draw

Through the entire time of regulation play and two overtimes both the Calvert High and host Northern High girls soccer teams were unable to determine a winner as the Cavaliers and Patriots played to a 1-1 draw on Tuesday in overcast, misty Owings.

Calvert actually got on the board first when senior Jessica May gave the Cavaliers a 1-0 lead with 10 minutes left in the first half.

That modest advantage lasted until 10 minutes remained in regulation when Julia McDonald drilled a shot past Calvert keeper Allie Oursler that caromed off the right post and into the net, but two 10-minute overtimes could not decide the outcome.

“When I got the ball up top I found a gap in their defense and I just dribbled through it and took a quick shot,” May said of her goal. “It was a really intense game. Allie [Oursler] made some really great saves in the second half and in overtime.”

Northern controlled play throughout both halves and both overtimes, but May benefited from an errant pass and gave the Cavaliers an early lead. The Patriots had numerous good chances with Ella Meccia, Marly Gott and Braelyn Raines controlling play up top, but Oursler denied them on several chances, including corner kick that Gott sent into the box.

With time winding down in the second overtime, Northern senior Cecelia Miller was granted a direct free kick and the Patriots’ attacker nearly broke the deadlock. Miller drilled a crisp, left-footed shot toward the upper right corner of the net and Oursler timed her leap perfectly to deflect the ball off the crossbar before smothering it in the box.

“CeCe sent in a great shot,” said Meccia, who is heading to Gardner-Webb University in North Carolina next fall for women’s soccer. “Their goalie just made a great save. We had our chances and it was frustrating at times. But both teams played their hardest.”

With roughly 10 minutes remaining in regulation, McDonald brought the Patriots even with a low shot that slipped past Oursler and caromed into the net off the right post. Like Meccia, McDonald had been part of several Northern attacks in the two overtimes that Oursler denied.

“I thought both teams played hard and that’s all that matters,” McDonald said. “We had some good chances in the overtimes, but their goalie made some really tough saves. But both teams played hard all the way to the end.”