It was difficult for either team to get near the goal Friday night in a battle of the state’s Nos. 3- and 4-ranked girls soccer teams, but a deflection off the body of Montverde’s Vienna Morgan proved to be the difference as Montverde prevailed 1-0.
Montverde, the No. 3 team according to the FHSAA power rankings, moved to 14-1-1 in the final regular-season game for both teams.
“I told the girls at the beginning of the game it was going to be a one-goal game,” Montverde coach Robbie Aristodemo said. “We were fortunate to be on the winning end, but credit to Lake Mary. They played a great game. I think it was a tale of two halves.
“We didn’t give up a ton of chances, but we didn’t create a ton of chances, so overall it’s probably a fair result. … You could toss a coin and both teams would have been happy with a point.”
Montverde spent most of the first half on the attack but was thwarted by the defense of Lake Mary senior midfielder Peyton O’Linn. She was in the right place in the first half when junior goalkeeper Krista Hansen lost her footing, and O’Linn was able to save a shot from trickling in. In the second half, Montverde had a breakaway with numbers, but O’Linn was able to slice the passing lane and clear the ball out of bounds.
Montverde defenders surround Lake Mary’s Peyton O’Linn during Montverde’s 1-0 victory at Lake Mary on Friday night. (Chris Hays/Orlando Sentinel)
In the second half, the Lake Mary girls seemed to wake up a bit and were on the attack but still managed just one direct shot on goal. However, Camryn Barrett’s attempt sailed high after a pass from junior Teagen Jahns.
“It took us a little while to get into the game, but once we were into it, it was a fun game to watch, a good battle,” Lake Mary coach Christian Eissele said.
On the back end for Montverde, defenders Taylor Heaton, a junior who was a first-team Sentinel all-area selection a year ago, along with Joy Palacios and Kendall Seays all played well in limiting Lake Mary’s penetration.
Montverde, the No. 1-ranked team in Class 3A, has been missing one of its best players, Luisa Tannus, who tore her ACL before the season. Starting right wing Isadora Santiago tore her ACL in December and will miss the rest of the season. Montverde is also missing junior Lais Rangel, who has been out with an ACL sprain.
“But we have some decent depth and I think, like most teams, no excuses, everyone is banged up.” Aristodemo said.
Aristodemo likes his team’s chances to win the state championship as the playoffs approach, but he said that’s not necessarily the gauge he uses to measure his squad.
Montverde’s Kendall Seays battles Lake Mary’s Kailey Susi during Montverde’s 1-0 victory at Lake Mary on Friday night. (Chris Hays/Orlando Sentinel)
“I think every year we are expected to go far, if not to the final, and if not, it’s always a disappointment,” Aristodemo said. “Our expectations are to try to get to the end.
“For me, I just want to help these girls get to the next level, which is college. It’s important to help these girls develop and get kids to college and get them prepared.”
Lake Mary, the No. 1-ranked team in Class 7A, is looking to win back-to-back state championships for the first time. A senior-laden team won the title last year, but this year’s squad has stepped up and managed to build a 13-2-1 record.
Lake Mary leading scorer Jahns said the team highly valued what last year’s seniors taught them and are proud of what they have been able to accomplish after their departure.
“Definitely love the seniors and they definitely showed us how to play our game and now to move forward. They set good stones for us to follow,” Jahns said. “But we definitely still have a very good team and very strong leaders on this team guiding the way into states and the playoffs.”
The Rams’ coach has certainly been impressed with his girls, among which there are just five seniors this season.
Montverde’s Veronica Solano tries to control the ball as Lake Mary’s Natalie Rowen converges during Montverde’s 1-0 victory at Lake Mary on Friday night. (Chris Hays/Orlando Sentinel)
“I’m proud of how they represent and it’s definitely a testament to their hard work and commitment to each other,” Eissele said. “We lost nine seniors and a lot of them leaders, so continuing to fill those holes has been really important for us, and a lot of girls have stepped up.
“The seniors left a good legacy, but the underclassmen have been willing to work … there’s no secret formula.”
So can the Rams repeat as state champs?
“I think we have to play with the mentality that we want to go after it and get it,” Eissele said. “I believe we can, but the players gotta believe. We’ll see.”
Chris Hays can be found on X.com @OS_ChrisHays.
