True North falls to reigning champs in girls’ soccer state semifinal
True North’s first appearance at the 2023 girls’ soccer state tournament was hardly a memorable one.
An 8-0 mercy rule loss to 14-time state champion Orange Park St. Johns Country Day ended the Titans’ state debut.
A year later, True North looked much more like it belonged with one of the state’s best teams.
But after dueling to a stalemate with reigning state champion Lakeland Christian for 65 minutes Tuesday, the Titans’ second consecutive trip to state ended arguably more painfully than the first.
Lakeland Christian forward Allie Williams’ higharcing shot sailed out of the reach of True North goalkeeper Gabriela Keiser and broke a 1-1 tie with 15 minutes left that would lead to a 3-1 loss for the Titans in a Class 2A state semifinal at Lake Myrtle Sports Park in Auburndale.
True North (13-3-2) was unable to muster an equalizer as it had earlier in the match and would then allow a third score by the Vikings (22-3-1) when Alyssa Carroll controlled a rebound and looped another shot past Keiser with less than five minutes left.
“We had them there until the last few minutes,” True North coach Alex Abaroa said. “Last year was their first time and it was a tough game. This year, we did a very good job. We’re still young but they came in with more experience and they fought the fight.”
The loss, while frustrating for a young program on the rise in its fifth season, showed how much the group has narrowed the gap.
An 8-0 blowout loss like the one True North suffered a year earlier in the state semifinals hasn’t been uncommon for South Florida teams in Class 2A in recent years.
But Tuesday’s performance was the closest defeat at state by a Miami-Dade or Broward school in Class 2A in four years. No South Florida team in Class 2A has even made it to the final since Miami Country
Day in 2018.
True North weathered an early barrage of shots at its goal by Lakeland Christian until Ella Williams scored off a cross from KJ Straub in the 18th minute.
But the Titans answered five minutes later when eighth-grader Malen Gonzalez controlled a through ball on a breakaway and tapped a shot past the Vikings’ goalkeeper to tie the match.
Throughout what was mostly a physical contest, True North kept things even in terms of possession. But the Titans were unable to create one more quality chance to take control of the match.
“That’s where they’ve grown the most,” Abaroa said. “On the first goal, we didn’t come out playing our style and once they scored, we tuned in and were able to start connecting on our passes. They didn’t give up and were ready for the moment.”
True North, which had four seniors on its roster including three starters, feels confident that Tuesday’s match was just the latest step in its development into one of the state perennial title contenders.
“Sometimes, the ball just doesn’t bounce your way,” Abaroa said. “I told the girls, ‘Remember this moment, tears in the eyes, use this as motivation, and I promise, we’ll be here again.’ We have a great young group and I’m confident we can bring one home.”