The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Late score lifts Tigers to regional title
HUDSON » Kelly Wynveen sent Chagrin Falls to a Division II, Region 6 semifinal with her overtime goal against Hathaway Brown on May 21.
Because of the senior attacker, the Tigers’ 2019 postseason continues. Wynveen received a pass from Cregan Mee late in a tie game against Hawken on May 24, drove to
the net and scored the eventual game-winning goal in a 10-9 Chagrin Falls victory.
“I think I knew we needed it,” Wynveen said. “Cregan made a good pass to me. The lane was open, it made sense to try to get in there. There was no one really back.”
The Tigers improved to 12-3 and advance to a D-II state semifinal May 30 against Walsh Jesuit. Chagrin Falls will vie for its fifth consecutive trip to the state title game.
Hawken leapt to a threegoal lead within the match’s first eight minutes. Heather Arslanian needed only 23 seconds to score after the opening face-off and Sydney Kates added a score six minutes later.
Arslanian’s second goal put the Hawks up, 3-0, with 17:23 remaining in the first half.
Chagrin Falls called timeout as coach Chris Gellin afforded his players a moment to collect themselves.
“We just took a deep breath,” Gellin said. “This team does not panic, I think there’s so many people that have sort of been there and done that, we have a lot of really good leadership.”
Mee put the Tigers on the board at the 13:59 mark then assisted on Mia Razavi’s goal 90 seconds later.
Freshman Peyton Gellin tied the score with nine minutes left in the half.
Anna Gellin gave Chagrin Falls its first lead of the game with 1:47 left in the first half off a free position shot. Celeste Bunker saved a shot from point-blank range to preserve the Tigers’ 4-3 edge at halftime.
Arslanian scored quickly to tie the score, 4-4, with her third goal. Arslanian’s fourth goal three minutes later put Hawken back ahead, 5-4.
Peyton Gellin scored her second goal to tie the match again before Anna Gellin’s second score with 18:47 to play gave Chagrin Falls a 6-5 lead. Mee’s second goal and Razavi’s second score pushed the
Tigers’ lead to three, 8-5, as the Hawks took timeout with 17:37 left in the game.
Kates’ second goal ended Chagrin Falls’ run, Ariel Cohen brought the Hawks back within one and Arslanian’s fifth goal tied the score, 8-8, with 13 minutes to play.
Lindsay Milbourn’s first score vaulted the Hawks back into the lead, 9-8, with 9:30 left.
Peyton Gellin’s third goal tied the score with under five to play, setting the stage for Wynveen’s eventual game-winner.
Gellin led the Tigers with three goals while Anna Gellin, Razavi and Mee added two apiece. Chagrin Falls’ versatile offense derived from a multi-dimensional attack.
“We like to take our time up there,” Peyton Gellin said. ‘I think it’s important that we set up a good offense, but on fast breaks we also like to go and I think it’s good to score some fast goals, get up.”
Arslanian, a first-team all-state selection, led all scorers with six goals. Hawken’s season ended with an 11-7 record.
Coach Jim Newman expressed pride in his team’s resolve to take a lead after the Tigers’ rallied, then went ahead early in the second half.
“I couldn’t ask for anything more,” Newman said. “I think our mantra all season has been to play with a lot of heart, a lot of spirit and not to give up and be unified as a team.”