Banks’ goal lifts Round Rock over Coppell
When Round Rock senior Hanna Banks had a second chance to score during a Class 6A, Region II girls soccer semifinal against Coppell, she wasn’t about to miss the opportunity.
Banks slotted home the only goal in the Dragons’ 1-0 victory over Coppell in the 55th minute, and Round Rock (19-2-3) survived a few harrowing moments to advance to the regional final at Reeves Athletic Complex.
At 11 a.m. Saturday, Round Rock will face Houston Memorial, which knocked off top-ranked The Woodlands 2-1 Friday, for a berth in the UIL state tournament.
“I just wanted to score for the team,” Banks said. “This just means so much for all of us, my teammates and the school.
“I thought I let my team down earlier in the match, but their support is outstanding. I wanted to make it up to them.”
Banks was referring to a golden scoring opportunity she had in the 20th minute after a brilliant run through the heart of Coppell’s defense that allowed her to collect a pass from Christine Esparza behind the Cowgirls’ last defender. But Coppell’s stellar sophomore keeper, TCU pledge Lauren Kellett, pounced off her line to create a tough shooting angle and deflected Banks’ shot.
“She’s so good,” Banks said of Kellett. “She came out and made a great play.”
So did Banks on her winning goal. She again timed a run down the middle of the field before taking a pass from Grace Greenly. She then took a step to the left and fired a shot past the oncoming Kellett. Banks and almost every player on the pitch immediately paused to glance at the assistant referee, whose flag stayed at his side.
“I knew I was on, but I didn’t know if the ref knew that,” Banks said.
Coppell had only one good chance in the first half, when JoJo Alonzo laced a dangerous cross in front of the net that skipped past the outstretched fingertips of Round Rock keeper Lauren Traywick. With nothing between her and the game’s first goal, Coppell forward Rebecca Watley misplayed her shot and sent the ball wide of the post.
Once Banks scored, though, a Coppell program that has won two state titles in the past 10 years upped the intensity. The Cowgirls had four quality shots in the final 25 minutes of the match, including one from Alonzo that Traywick made a diving deflection. The ball trickled down the goal line toward the post. As a mass of bodies rolled toward the goal, the ball popped out just in front of the net, and Traywick collected it. Contact Thomas Jones at 512-445-3527.