Underdog Quakers Take Title From Gators

By: Marco Romanell

The Friends Quakers gave the top-seeded St. Paul's Gators a reminder Sunday afternoon: the top seed does not always win the championship. The Quakers dominated the Gators and came out with a 2-1 overtime victory and an IAAM B Conference soccer title.

Flannery McCardle, one of eight seniors on the Friends squad, scored the game-winning goal in the final minute of the first overtime to give her team the championship.

“I didn’t want the game to go into another overtime,” Flannery said. “We wanted it so much." The Quakers wanted it, and they earned it against a very good St. Paul's team.

“Our eight seniors are our leaders," Friends’ coach Rich Seiler said. “They were in the championship two seasons ago and weren’t going to be denied this time.”

Friends opened an exciting first half with a breakaway in the first minute that was saved by St. Paul's goalie Leslee Heffner. The Quakers got the game's first tally in the 11th minute on a goal by Melanie Gatewood.

The Gators responded quickly. Senior All-Conference forward Jessica Van Dyke gathered a loose ball in the box and tucked it into the side net, tying the game in the 16th minute.

After battling to a 1-1 tie in the first half, Friends came out firing after intermission. The Quakers dominated the midfield and hardly let the ball get into their defensive zone.

“We knew we had strong midfielders and forwards,” Seiler said. “Our goal was to put pressure on their backs."

After dominating the possession in the second half and netting the winner in the first overtime, the Quakers’ seniors were able to lift the championship trophy. A trophy that the seniors believed was rightfully theirs.

Posted Nov. 3, 2008