With the Dalton High School girls soccer team looking for some postseason revenge Tuesday, the Lady Catamounts instead dealt with another playoff disappointment.
For a second consecutive year, Northview came to Harmon Field in Dalton and knocked a higher-seeded Dalton team out of the Class 5A girls soccer playoffs.
Fourth-seeded Northview (7-8-1) toppled Region 7-5A champion Dalton (8-6-3) 1-0 in the playoffs’ first round, ending the season for the Lady Catamounts. Northview, which was battle-tested in a Region 6-5A made up of Atlanta-area teams despite entering with a losing record, moves on to the Class 5A Sweet 16.
It was in the Sweet 16 last year that Dalton was downed 2-1 in extra time by Northview. After winning Region 7-5A to secure home-field advantage in the first round this season, the Lady Cats were met with the stout defense and speedy strikers of Northview again.
That defense made it difficult on Dalton to get many looks at the goal, but the Lady Catamount defense held for much of the first half too, despite lots of pressure from Northview attacks.
Northview finally broke the seal, scoring the lone goal of the game at the 3:47 mark of the first half.
Northview’s Daina Troupe, who caused Dalton defenders headaches for most of the game with her skill, size and speed at striker, shook free of a defender and found a small opening from about 30 yards from goal.
Troupe let loose a screamer that rocketed over the head of Dalton keeper America Quintero and scorched into the back of the net.
The Lady Catamounts’ best looks of the first half came in the few minutes after Troupe’s goal. A promising attack for Dalton ended when a Northview defender made a good play to knock away an Alliyah Rosales centering pass, then, just before halftime, a Kendra Delgado free kick sailed just a few feet over the net.
Despite a few more close calls in the second half, Dalton’s defense kept Northview off the scoreboard the rest of the way, giving the offense an opportunity to stay alive.
An open shot with 27:30 to play was trapped by Quintero, and, with 10 minutes left, Quintero made a stellar save to keep Dalton afloat.
Quintero came out of the net to take a free kick. While she was retreating to her position, Northview gained possession and Troupe attacked. While backpedaling, the senior keeper stopped, sprinted and slid to kick away the ball as Troupe took aim for the potential clinching shot.
Dalton got another chance late, but couldn’t convert any offense into goals to keep the season alive.
Also in girls playoff soccer action on Tuesday:
Lumpkin County 9, Coahulla Creek 0
Coahulla Creek (9-7) had its season ended Tuesday night with a 9-0 defeat in the first round of the Class 3A playoffs at Lumpkin County (11-1-1).
Creek trailed 3-0 at halftime, then Lumpkin County piled up six goals in the second.
Lumpkin County was a two seed despite having just lost once all year. Lumpkin shared a region with state power Wesleyan, who won the Region 7-3A title.