NOBLESVILLE — They hung with the favorite Millers early, but 10th-ranked Noblesville proved to be too much for the Pendleton Heights boys soccer team on Saturday night.
Noblesville jumped on top with two late first-half goals en route to a 3-0 victory on its home field at the Hazel Dell sports complex in the Noblesville Sectional championship match.
It was a difficult way for a promising season to end, but PH coach Dave Cooper was pleased with his team’s effort. Noblesville had won the teams’ previous meeting 6-0 and played its backups for the entire second half.
“I’m proud of the guys because we worked on a game plan on Friday and they came out and executed that game plan,” Cooper said. “These guys came out and played hard. Give all credit to Noblesville. They’re a good team.
“It’s always tough to end with a loss, but unless you’re the state champion you just have to accept that. Our guys came through. They won (Hoosier Heritage) Conference, they won the first round of sectional and they came out and followed our game plan (Saturday). We really can’t ask anything more of them.”
The Arabians (12-5-1) were on the defensive for most of the first half, and it hurt them in the end. They failed to move the ball and keep it on the Noblesville side of midfield, and when they did, few players had the opportunity to go on the attack. PH failed to get a shot on goal in the half and recorded only three on the night.
For more than 38 minutes, the match looked eerily similar to Thursday night’s penalty-kick victory over Sheridan. But senior goalkeeper Gage Martin had been challenged too many times, and the defense couldn’t hold up as it relinquished two quick goals.
The first came as a result of Martin’s risky play to come out of the goal with 1:37 to play in the half. He was knocked down by a Noblesville player, leaving the goal wide open for a Taylor Anthony header. Then, just 55 seconds later, Joey Henne found himself all alone, and all Martin could do was watch the ball soar over his head.
Martin was injured in the first-round win over Sheridan and was shaken up again on the Millers’ first goal. He stayed in the match and came up with 12 saves, including one on a Noblesville penalty kick.
“They got the ball behind our defense, just behind, and No. 7 (Anthony) got enough of his head on it to keep it up to where I couldn’t reach it,” Martin said of the initial score.
“I don’t think that (injury) affected me at all. We came out in the second half and we were just as good, just as strong.”
The Millers added a third goal 13 minutes into the second half when Anthony kicked it just over the outstretched hands of the 5-foot-8 Martin. Anthony recorded two goals and an assist in the contest.
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No. 10 Millers eliminate PH boys soccer team
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