Signal wins on Combs’ free-kick goal
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Jack Combs enjoys taking free kicks.
He really enjoyed the result of the one he took Tuesday.
The Signal Mountain senior midfielder struck a low-sailing shot that found the back of the net, and the Eagles advanced to the Class A state soccer semifinals with a 1-0 win over Alcoa at the Richard Siegel Soccer Complex.
The Eagles (14-6-3) will face Franklin Grace, which defeated Douglass 10-1 in another quarterfinal, this afternoon at 3 EDT.
Combs’ shot came after Alcoa goalkeeper Brenden Sugg was whistled for touching the ball outside of the box. That led to a direct kick opportunity, and Combs’ shot — the only official shot on goal for the Eagles — sailed into the left side of the net.
“I just wanted to keep the season alive,” Combs said. “I haven’t scored on a free kick in a few games, but taking a step up to
that kick, I was really confident. I hit it with enough pace that I knew it would be good.”
Signal goalkeeper Joseph Galea was credited with three saves,
and the Signal defense was solid in slowing Alcoa junior midfielder Alec Reynolds, who took five shots but only one on goal.
“I like to think we kept lots of
bodies in and that kept us fresh,” Signal coach Richard Northcutt said, “but on that play, that probably didn’t have much to do with it.”
It was Signal’s first win in two
appearances in the state tournament.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenleytfp.