The girls’ soccer team downed rival Pierson, 3-1, and the Blue Fan Group added another gem to their growing list of memorable games on a magical night at Buyers’ Park.

The night began when the girls ran through a tunnel of blue-clad fanatics on their way to the field and the game’s kickoff. The energy in the stands was electric during the opening moments of the match as cheers rang out from the throng. After a near score for the Bears in the opening minute, the blue army threatened to shake the walls of the houses on Quaker Path.

The near miss was one of several scoring opportunities our girls had early, but Pierson’s feisty defense and five offside calls kept the Blue and White off the board. Despite the lack of scoring, the Blue Fan Group remained boisterous, willing our girls on as they battled for every ball. They were rewarded with under six minutes remaining, when Nana-Saa Kessie won a 50-50 ball from a Pierson defender, then dribbled between two other Whalers before striking a shot from ten yards that found the top shelf. As the ball hit the net, the Blue Fan Group erupted, unleashing 100 blue and white streamers that shot across the night sky like fireworks. Kessie’s strike proved to be the only offense in the first half as the Bears took a 1-0 edge into the break.

As the second half opened, the Bears began an onslaught on the Pierson defense, but could not slip another one past the keeper. The tension of a one-goal margin continued to mount. The Whalers began to push the ball forward and had their best scoring chance of the night when a corner kick rolled all the way across the six-yard box before being cleared by the Brooker defense. The Bears had two golden opportunities of their own when two corner kicks resulted in scrums on the goal line, but, despite several tries, the Bears could not punch it through the wall of Pierson defenders.

With 14 minutes remaining, Morgan Pius sent the Blue Fan Group into a frenzy once again and provided a cushion for the Bears with a beautiful individual effort. After splitting two defenders with some deft footwork, she struck a shot that skipped past the keeper for a 2-0 advantage. Nine minutes later, Annie Skorobohaty notched her second goal of the season when she poked Donna Sanders’ pretty through-ball past the keeper for a 3-0 lead. The Whalers would avoid being shutout with three minutes remaining, but the lone blemish did not diminish a great effort from the defense, anchored by the solid play of Fiona Farrell between the posts.

As the final horn sounded the Blue Fan Group charged the field and took a swan dive into the goal, one of many moments last night that made Buyers’ Park feel like a miniature version of Wembley or Old Trafford. It was a night that reminded us all why our community is so special.

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