Published: 12:41 AM, Wed May 09, 2012
Jack Britt falls to Clayton 1-0 in first round of state soccer playoffs
By Earl Vaughan Jr.
Scholastic sports editor
It wasn't a good night for the Jack Britt offense. Even when visiting Clayton was forced to go to relief in the goalkeeper's net, the frustrated Buccaneers couldn't find a way to score.
Meanwhile, Clayton got the only goal it needed barely five minutes into the contest. Ashley Sainz connected from about 40 yards out as the Comets played strong defense the rest of the night and won 1-0.
The victory came in the opening round of the state 4-A girls' soccer playoffs Tuesday at Britt. Clayton, 10-8-2, advances to the second round of the playoffs Saturday against the winner of a first-round match between East Wake and Wilmington Hoggard.
Britt, the No. 2 team from the Mid-South 4-A Conference, ended its season 19-7-1.
The Bucs appeared to get new life with just under 12 minutes in the game when Clayton goalkeeper Jaimie Tahir was hit with her second yellow card of the night and had to go to the bench. A senior, Tahir was replaced by sophomore Lauryn Kubrich.
"That's about as tough a situation as she could have come in," Clayton coach William Williams said.
But Kubrich managed to fend off two corner kicks and one direct kick in the closing minutes as the Britt offense failed to produce a goal.
Britt coach Natthaphon Bunphithak didn't think Clayton's Tahir was playing dirty in goal, just aggressively. Both yellow cards she got were for going through opposing players while trying to get to the ball.
"We had plenty of chances," Bunphithak said. "We got two breakaways and didn't put it away and they got an awesome outside shot (for their goal)."
Britt captain and midfielder Nicole Chinlund said it was frustrating not to capitalize on chances to score. "They were on their heels at one point and I thought we had it," she said. "We played our hearts out tonight."
Bunphithak said it always hurts when you fall behind early in a playoff game, but he still thought his team could do it.
"Mentally it's tough to come back, but we've been coming back all year," he said. "We were down early against Terry Sanford and came back and tied them.
"We battled back the last 10 or 15 minutes. We were on their backline plenty of times."
Despite the loss of Cumberland County scoring leader Ali Heath, who is moving to Virginia, Bunphithak expects to have a strong team next year.
"Somebody's got to fill her shoes," he said. "Nancy Kirk will be back and Macy Creech will step up to fill that role. She's only a freshman."
Clayton 1, Jack Britt 0
Clayton 1 0 - 1
Jack Britt 0 0 - 0
Goals: C - Sainz
Assists: None
Records: Clayton 10-8-2, Jack Britt 19-7-1