BECKLEY - There will be a team representing the Kanawha Valley in today's Class AAA state soccer championships.
BECKLEY - There will be a team representing the Kanawha Valley in today's Class AAA state soccer championships.
With one swing of her leg, Chloe Barber sent Hurricane into its first state final in school history, scoring on a rebound from about 5 yards out early in the second half in edging Jefferson 1-0 in the Class AAA girls semifinals Friday evening at the YMCA Youth Sports Complex.
Ashley Ramsey scored on an assist from Kelsey Baker late in the first half as No. 1 University held off George Washington 1-0 in the other semifinal Friday night.
Hurricane (16-0-5), No. 2 in the final state coaches association rankings, will square off with University (21-0-3) as the last unbeaten schools in the state battle it out at approximately 12:45 p.m. today at Cline Field. The Redskins are making their state tournament debut while University finished as state runner-up last year.
Barber was in the right place at the right time for only her third goal of the season.
"I knew I was going to get something on it,'' said Barber, whose father is former Winfield High and Marshall football standout Mike Barber. "It just happened to be my foot.''
Hurricane's Abby Barber, Chloe Barber's older sister, anchored a defense that held Jefferson, which had scored more than 100 goals this season, to no shots on goal. Abby Barber has verbally committed to play at Marshall.
"I thought they performed extremely well considering we haven't performed in a game with this much pressure,'' said first-year Hurricane coach Shelly Young.
"I felt like coming in our defense was going to win this game for us and if our offense could finish our chances, which Chloe did an excellent job of putting that ball in the back of the net, we had a shot.''
Goalie Melissa Taylor turned aside two shots for the No. 8 Cougars (19-3-0).
Girls
UNIVERSITY 1, GW 0: Hillary Dewitt made one save as the Hawks neutralized the Patriots' offense, holding them to one shot on goal. GW also only had one corner kick opportunity to set up a play near the goal.
"I think the first half we were a little frantic,'' said GW's Morgan Foster, who was part of a senior class that lost three times in the state semifinals. "I thought in the second half we got a few more chances, but they just held us off.''
University only had three shots, but made them count. The Hawks lost 1-0 to Nitro in a shootout in last year's AAA title tilt.
BECKLEY - There will be a team representing the Kanawha Valley in today's Class AAA state soccer championships.
With one swing of her leg, Chloe Barber sent Hurricane into its first state final in school history, scoring on a rebound from about 5 yards out early in the second half in edging Jefferson 1-0 in the Class AAA girls semifinals Friday evening at the YMCA Youth Sports Complex.
Ashley Ramsey scored on an assist from Kelsey Baker late in the first half as No. 1 University held off George Washington 1-0 in the other semifinal Friday night.
Hurricane (16-0-5), No. 2 in the final state coaches association rankings, will square off with University (21-0-3) as the last unbeaten schools in the state battle it out at approximately 12:45 p.m. today at Cline Field. The Redskins are making their state tournament debut while University finished as state runner-up last year.
Barber was in the right place at the right time for only her third goal of the season.
"I knew I was going to get something on it,'' said Barber, whose father is former Winfield High and Marshall football standout Mike Barber. "It just happened to be my foot.''
Hurricane's Abby Barber, Chloe Barber's older sister, anchored a defense that held Jefferson, which had scored more than 100 goals this season, to no shots on goal. Abby Barber has verbally committed to play at Marshall.
"I thought they performed extremely well considering we haven't performed in a game with this much pressure,'' said first-year Hurricane coach Shelly Young.
"I felt like coming in our defense was going to win this game for us and if our offense could finish our chances, which Chloe did an excellent job of putting that ball in the back of the net, we had a shot.''
Goalie Melissa Taylor turned aside two shots for the No. 8 Cougars (19-3-0).
Girls
UNIVERSITY 1, GW 0: Hillary Dewitt made one save as the Hawks neutralized the Patriots' offense, holding them to one shot on goal. GW also only had one corner kick opportunity to set up a play near the goal.
"I think the first half we were a little frantic,'' said GW's Morgan Foster, who was part of a senior class that lost three times in the state semifinals. "I thought in the second half we got a few more chances, but they just held us off.''
University only had three shots, but made them count. The Hawks lost 1-0 to Nitro in a shootout in last year's AAA title tilt.
"They put a lot of pressure on us and got a break,'' said first-year GW coach Dan Thistlethwaite of University. "I thought our back line held them off pretty good.
"They got one good chance and they made it count. They made us fight for a lot of balls. The girls certainly gave their heart and soul on the field.''
Jarrett Walker made two saves for No. 5 GW (17-4-3).
Boys
PARKERSBURG 2, MARTINSBURG 0: Brian Runnion scored a goal and assisted on another to send the defending state champion Big Reds back into the title game.
No. 3 Parkersburg (19-2-2) will take on No. 5 Woodrow Wilson (16-3-3) in the title game at 10:30 a.m. today at Cline Field. It will be the fourth title game matchup featuring the two schools.
Parkersburg played most of the game down a man when Matt Sellers received a red card. Sellers will have to sit out today's championship game. Keeper Spencer Griffey had seven saves. Goalie Drew Dopson turned back five shots for No. 10 Martinsburg (15-9-0).
WOODROW 3, FAIRMONT SENIOR 0: Tanner Pfeiffer, Tony Serge and Ryan Kissinger all scored unassisted goals as Woodrow Wilson won.
Pfeiffer's goal stood for a 1-0 halftime advantage and Serge converted a penalty kick for a 2-0 lead with about 22 minutes to go. Flying Eagles goalie Pierce Jarrell turned in five saves as the Woodrow defense stopped the Polar Bears' Brooks Nucilli, who came in with 49 goals. Keeper Corey Cleavanger had six saves for No. 2 Fairmont Senior (19-1-2).
Reach Tommy R. Atkinson at tatkin...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-4811.
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