Chargers Win on Penalty Kicks

When 80 minutes of soccer plus overtime isn’t enough to decide a high-school soccer game, the rules demand a thrilling, yet cruel way for the game to be ended: penalty shootouts.

That’s the scenario the No. 1-seeded Timber Creek Regional High School girls’ soccer team found itself in Thursday afternoon after playing to a 1-1 tie with No. 8 Seneca after 100 minutes of action.

A season that saw the Timber Creek girls win a division championship, reach the semifinals of the Coaches Cup, and seemingly destined to reach a South Jersey Group III final was going to come down to the feet of five selected players and a goalie.

Fortunately for the Chargers, they have clutch goal scorers and a top-of-the-line keeper.

Olivia McEachern, Kelly Farrell, Cailtyn Collins and Elise Pratt each converted their penalty kick, while Kate DeCaro made two huge stops to send the Chargers into the semifinals with a 4-2 shootout victory over the Golden Eagles.

The Chargers led the shootout 3-2 when Pratt beat the Seneca keeper to clinch the win. Timber Creek will face No. 4 Burlington Township on Monday in a Group III semifinals matchup. 

Thursday’s game was closer than expected, as Timber Creek easily handled Seneca, 3-1, in a regular-season meeting. McEachern gave the Chargers a 1-0 lead by converting a first-half penalty kick—a goal that served as a sign of things to come.

Seneca tied the game with six minutes remaining when Danielle Hubbs found the back of the net, setting things up for the dramatic conclusion.