Downingtown East reach semifinals on Murlless’ OT goal
By Bryan Davis
bdavis@medianewsgroup.com
@btdavis25 on Twitter
DOWNINGTOWN >> In the last couple of seasons, the Downingtown East girls soccer team has shown a propensity for scoring early in overtime in the district playoffs.
That skill came in good stead once again on Saturday. Karly Murlless scored barely two minutes into the first extra session to lift the fourth-seeded Cougars to a 3-2 win over No. 5 Central Bucks East in the quarterfinals of the District 1 4A playoffs at DiSerafino Stadium.
The win transports D-East into the semifinals for the second straight season. The Cougars lost to Spring-Ford, 1-0, last year. East has also clinched a spot in the PIAA 4A tournament.
Downingtown East will host No. 9 Pennridge, a 2-0 victor over Neshaminy, in the semis on Tuesday.
“The girls came in today knowing that if they won today, because Lower Merion lost, they would host on Tuesday, and that was a motivating factor,” said Downingtown East coach Jason Luzak.
Shortly after the start of OT, the Cougars were pushing in the CB East end. Murlless had one chance, but the ball squirted off her foot. The play stayed alive, however, and the ball found her again just outside the penalty area. This time, she made no mistake, burying a shot past Patriots’ goalie Skylar Gash to send the bench and the fans into joyous celebration.
“When I first hit it, it went out,” said Murlless. “But, it came back in. I really didn’t think it was going to go in, but when it did, I was really happy.”
The Cougars broke on top in an otherwise uneventful first half. A little before the midway point, Eileen Hewitt made the play by breaking free along the right. She sent a perfect cross that was met by a wide open Caroline McDonald, who headed it in from in close.
It stayed, 1-0, until the half, but once play restarted, the Patriots found the equalizer quickly.
A ball in the penalty area resulted in a collision between Cougars goalie Lillian Matte and two other players, the ball squirted free right into the path of Camryn Williams, who slotted into the open net to make it a 1-1 game.
Six minutes later, the Cougars untied it. McDonald latched onto a loose ball from around 25 yards and caught Gash off her line. She looping shot went over Gash and into the net for her second of the game.
“It popped out and I figured the goalie was off her line a little bit, I might as well give it a try. It happened to go in, I’m so grateful,” said McDonald.
The Patriots got their bearings and started to make a push. Matte was forced to make two saves. The first came from a long-range blast off a free kick by Courtnry Curry, that Matte touched off the crossbar and out of play. She also came up big as Elise Duffy had a point-blank look that was directly at Matte.
“Over the course of the year, she has come a long way,” Lezak said of Matte. “She’s only a sophomore and early in the year, she was a little hesitant to come off her line. Now, she coming out, clearing balls with her feet and willing to talk. She’s grown into a nice goalkeeper.”
Just under the 11-minute mark, the Patriots tied it up again as off a scramble with Matte out of her goal, Duffey sent a shot that snuck inside the left post.
“Their target forward number 9 (Duffy) was dangerous. They had speed on the flank. They certainy had some offensive threats and put us under pressure.”
Downingtown West 3, Central Bucks East 2 (OT)
CB East 0 2 0 — 2
Downingtown East 1 1 1 — 3
Central Bucks East goals: Duffy, Williams.
Downingtown East goals: McDonald 2, Murlless.
Goalie saves: Gash (CBE) 2; Matte (DE) 4.
