Last-Minute Lift: Goal in closing seconds gives North girls win vs. Greenfield

What had been a frustrating Saturday afternoon for Columbus North for better than 79 1/2 minutes turned to joy in the closing seconds.

Page Mora took a lead pass from Grace Merritt and put one past Greenfield-Central keeper Jessica Merritt with 13 seconds remaining to lift the Bull Dogs to a 1-0 girls soccer victory.

After North had several chances at a goal in the final 15 minutes, the Cougars threatened in the final minute. But Bull Dog keeper Paige Terry came up with a save and punted the ball to Grace Merritt, who dribbled upfield and found Mora for the game-winner.

“The whole team helped with that,” Mora said.

“I saw Page wide open in the middle, so I just kind of found a good position where I could insert her the ball and hopefully get a last-minute goal,” Grace Merritt said. “I knew that we would hopefully finish one, which we did. I thought all the girls played really well.”

Mora had a free kick from just outside the 18 in the 66th minute, but had that shot saved by Jessica Merritt. North’s Anna Donica put one over the net from inside the box in the 71st minute. Jessica Merritt then made saves on a Rachel Merritt shot in the 72nd, a point-blank shot by Donica in the 73rd and an Avery Baker shot from inside the box in the 78th.

“It was a little (frustrating), but I think we were trying as hard as we could to get one in,” Mora said.

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North (3-4-2) finished with a 17-9 shot advantage, putting 13 shots on goal to four for Greenfield (2-5). Paige Terry recorded four saves for the Bull Dogs.

“We were certainly knocking on the door there the last 15-20 minutes,” North coach David Young said. “Even in the first half, we kind of controlled the control of the game. We didn’t have great opportunities in the first half. We did change kind of how we were attacking in the second half, had more opportunities right in front of goal. The girls were composed and never gave up and were able to finish one late.”