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Shun Graves
IJ Correspondent
With just two minutes left on the pitch at Archie Williams High on Saturday, Branson was moving the ball into the 18-yard box.
It didn’t stay there long. Peregrine Falcons center back Tessa Miller and her fellow back line missed Branson’s scoring chances in the final stretch to keep the league showdown scoreless.
Branson ended the stalemate with two chances in the second half, but the game ended 0-0.
Branson striker Ally Shea rocked the crossbar in the 60th minute, and eight minutes later Branson forward Katrin Howell hit the post.
“It was very close,” Branson told right-back Birdie Dillon. “We received the post twice.”
Center back Miller “controls the game,” said Archie Williams coach Jeff Mahaney. She helped block those scoring chances in the final minutes. With his Hitchcock goal in Bellen, Archie Williams (8-2-3, 7-2-3 MCAL) held on for an important result, giving fifth-placed Marin his lead against Catholics to his season-best. Pushed up to 7 points.
“Our defense is as cool as a cucumber, no matter what’s going on,” Mahaney added.
As the stalemate continued in the second half, many of Brunson’s best moments (12-0-4, 8-0-4) came when Birdie Dillon sent a dangerous cross into the 18-yard box.
Branson coach Tyler Gottschalk said, “The winger puts out a cross, the birdie comes forward and puts the ball in the box, the midfielder steps in to get the ball, and the defender challenges in the air to get the ball. “Everyone was stepping up when asked to do something.”
Archie Williams also pushed the ball towards the box several times. In the 53rd minute, forward Madeline Mergenthaler’s shot flew over the crossbar. Branson’s back his line kept the Peregrine Falcons at bay, but Archie’s Williams back his line also matched the task.
“We have a really good passing game, so I think it really helped us keep them down until the long ball and finish it off before they did,” Miller said.
Both teams were prioritizing three points, but both maintain strong positions in the league table and are in good shape heading into the postseason. He has only allowed one goal in the season. Archie Williams has had some impressive results in recent weeks. He hasn’t conceded a goal since December’s game against Branson.
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