By: Tim Birney / September 27, 2022
WYALUSING — Senior Ally Thoman scored four goals to lead Athens in a
come-from-behind, 5-3, win over Wyalusing here Tuesday afternoon in NTL
girls soccer action.
“We played a great game for 80 minutes
against a very tough team,” said Athens coach Rich Pitts. “I’m
super-proud of how we buckled down second half and defended as a team
brilliantly.
“I thought the back four and (keeper) Karlee
(Bartlow) held it down, while we sorted it out in the first half,” noted
Pitts. “Then, we really got in rhythm the second half offensively and
put in two quality finishes.”
The first half was a shoot-out.
Addison
Bly scored an unassisted goal about 2 1/2 minutes into the contest to
give Wyalusing a 1-0 lead, but Thoman scored off a feed from sophomore
Addy Wheeler just 46 seconds later to tie the game at 1-1.
About 5 1/2 minutes later, Thoman scored an unassisted goal from 25 yards out on a shot off the keeper’s hands to make it 2-1.
With
23:41 remaining in the half, Bly, off an assist from Olivia Haley,
scored to tie the game at 2-2. About 7 1/2 minutes later, Haley found
the back of the net to give the Lady Rams a 3-2 lead.
With just
1:39 left in the first half, Thoman scored on a direct kick that sailed
over the keeper’s hands and into the side of the net to tie game at 3-3,
which is where it stood at the intermission.
About 12 1/2 minute
into the second half, senior Taylar Fisher collected a rebound in the
box, and drove a shot into the side of the net to put the Lady Wildcats
ahead, 4-3.
With 2:07 remaining in the contest, Thoman tacked on an insurance goal with a bender from the corner to extend the lead to 5-3.
Wyalusing had a 9-8 edge in shots-on-goal, while Athens had a 5-2 advantage in corner kicks.
Senior Karlee Bartlow recorded six saves in net for the Lady Wildcats.
Athens, now 4-5-1, hosts Northeast Bradford Saturday morning.