Dallastown gets golden goal from sophomore, claims YAIAA girls' soccer championship
Dallastown's Carsyn Gold had the golden goal that clinched the YAIAA girls' soccer championship for the Wildcats in a 3-2 overtime win against Dover on Thursday night.
Gold fired the game winner from 25 yards out after it dangerously bounced around the penalty area and was cleared right to the sophomore. She quickly fired the ball and watched as it sailed into the net past Dover goalkeeper Tori Wantz.
Click here to view a photo gallery from the YAIAA girls' soccer championship game.
"The ball was bobbling around the box, and I just happened to be at the right spot at the right time," Gold said. "I saw the ball in front of me, and my first instinct was just to shoot. I just took the shot an it went in.
"It was just so surreal, and I was so happy."
The goal capped off a wild night of soccer at Susquehanna High School, the sight of the boys' and girls' championship matches. With the rain coming down to start the match, Dallastown took a 2-0 lead in the opening half.
Natalie Gettle sent a corner kick sailing into the box, and Abigail McDermott was able to get a piece of it and put it past the Dover keeper with 19:22 left in the half to open up the scoring for Dallastown. A little more than 10 minutes later Dallastown struck again off another corner opportunity.
Skyler Wilt found Mia Rexroth inside the box, and she put the ball into the back of the net to give her squad a 2-0 lead with 9:03 left in the first half.
Dover came back in the second half, pressured Dallastown and generated scoring chances. They finally cashed in with 11:07 left in the game as Brooke Firestone fired a shot from far out that was just out of the reach of Allison Hameier and cut the deficit to 2-1.
Related: View the YAIAA division and league champions back to 1992
Firestone then tied the game with 8:54 left by firing a shot from 15 yards out.
The two sides traded scoring chances the rest of the way until Gold ended the game and sent Dallastown home happy.
"I couldn't be happier for the girls," Dallastown head coach Scott Austin said. "It goes all the way back to June when they started working really, really hard. Very happy for that senior class. They've never had the opportunity to win the YAIAA. So very, very excited.
"I can tell you when it went in I wasn't sure if was jumping or crying, or what I was doing. Very happy with how they finished the game."
Dover0200—2
Dallastown2001—3
First half — 1. Dt, Abigail McDermott (Natalie Gettle), 19:22. 2. Dt, Mia Rexroth (Skyler Wilt), 9:03.
Second half — 3. Dover, Brooke Firestone, 11:07. 4. Dover, Firestone, 8:54.
Second Overtime — 5. Dt, Carsyn Gold, 3:20
Shots on goal — Dt 3, Dover 5
Corners — Dt 5, Dover 8
Goalies — Dt, Allison Hameier (3 saves), Dover, Tori Wantz (5 saves)