GREENWOOD — Two weeks removed from a 7-1 beating at the hands of Center Grove, Columbus East girls soccer coach Ilya Schwartzman decided to take a different approach in Saturday night’s Class 3A sectional championship match.
The Olympians took a much more defensive approach, hoping to keep the explosive Trojans off the scoreboard — and for 58 minutes, it worked. But eight-ranked Center Grove eventually won out, with Alainna Frankel’s second-half tally all that it needed in a 1-0 victory.
“We definitely had a different plan for this game,” Schwartzman said, “and I thought our players executed it tremendously. We minimized their offensive opportunities, but one got away from us.”
The Trojans (16-2-1) dominated the opening half, steadily maintaining possession and keeping the ball in the Olympians’ end for almost all of the first 40 minutes. But truly potent scoring chances were hard to come by, as the visitors managed to stonewall most of Center Grove’s attempts to get inside the 18-yard line.
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Paige Waskom was responsible for the Trojans’ two best opportunities before intermission. The first was a cross from the right side to in front of the goal that got redirected by Macy Detty but saved by East goalkeeper Karisma Parker. The second was a hard Waskom shot to the left side of the net that Parker was just able to dive and knock away.
Center Grove had 12 shots, six of them on goal, to the Olympians’ one in the first half but nothing to show for that wide disparity.
The pressure increased after the break. The Trojans put five shots on goal in the first 10 minutes of the second half, including a one-timer from Emily Karr that Parker had to lunge to tap over the crossbar. Parker finished with 16 saves.
Finally, in the 59th minute, Peyton Murphy’s corner kick made it through to the far post, where a crashing Frankel put it home to get Center Grove on the board. It was the team’s 25th shot of the night.
East (11-5-2) finally started getting more of a push forward in the final seven minutes as desperation started to sink in, but all of its shot attempts either sailed wide of the goal or bounced harmlessly to Trojan goalie Kelti Wise. Center Grove finished with a 30-5 advantage in overall shots.
“I’m so proud of the team with what we’ve accomplished this year,” Schwartzman said. “(Hoosier Hills) Conference champs, and to come out and play one of the best teams in the state, and we played them so well. Just incredible pride in my heart for these kids, and what an effort tonight.”
