Campbell makes boast come true

GIRLS EPISCOPAL COLLEGIATE 2,

CONWAY ST. JOSEPH 0

Episcopal Collegiate Coach Andrea Richmond said her players knew after a loss to Pulaski Academy earlier this year how the season would end.

“After we lost to them our girls said, ‘We’re going to see them again in the state final,’ ” Richmond said. And they were right. Episcopal Collegiate (134-1) advanced to the Class 4A girls state soccer final by beating Conway St. Joseph 2-0 on Saturday at Burns Park in North Little Rock. The Wildcats will face Pulaski Academy in the state final Friday in Fayetteville. Pulaski Academy defeated Shiloh Christian 2-0 in Saturday’s other semifinal.

Episcopal Collegiate started quickly as Erin Campbell took the Wildcats’ first possession down the field for a shot that hit the left post in the first minute. In the seventh minute, she stole a ball at midfield with plenty of space to run and finished in the 18-yard box for a 1-0 lead.

“She’s a huge factor in our attack,” Richmond said of Campbell. “She has the ability to make teams defend her to where it opens up other players, too.”

Campbell sealed the victory when she put a free kick into the net from just beyond the left corner of the box in the 68th minute. Conway St. Joseph (11-4) had only three shots after that — one shot off target and two lobbed directly to the keeper.

“We played a really tough Episcopal Collegiate team, and we played toe-to-toe with them for 80 minutes,” Conway St. Joseph Coach Kevin Rittman said. “I think they played a little tougher on the 50-50 balls and that gave them more opportunities.”

Campbell barely missed her opportunity for a hat trick when her shot in the 80th minute bounced off the crossbar. Episcopal Collegiate finished with 12 shots, including seven from Campbell. Conway St. Joseph finished with eight shots, but only four on goal. Episcopal Collegiate had a 7-3 advantage in corner kicks.

Richmond called Conway St. Joseph a “pretty big rivalry,” but has started looking ahead to Episcopal Collegiate’s rematch with Pulaski Academy in the finals.

“This is the matchup we wanted. We wanted to even the score and win the one that counts,” she said.