The second round of the NCHSAA Women’s Soccer 2A State Tournament featured a familiar rivalry as the No. 6 North Duplin Lady Rebels (14-2) hosted the No. 11 East Bladen Lady Eagles (15-6-1). North Duplin entered the matchup coming off a first-round bye, while East Bladen advanced after playing the previous week.
With both teams splitting their regular-season meetings earlier this year, the stage was set for another intense showdown between conference rivals. The atmosphere matched the moment, as both squads brought energy, physical play, and determination knowing a trip to the third round of the state playoffs was on the line.
Lady Rebels Control Possession Early
North Duplin came out aggressively in the opening half, applying pressure early against the Lady Eagles’ defense. The Lady Rebels created several scoring opportunities, including a strong offensive push by No. 10 Sasha Arguijo that the East Bladen goalkeeper denied.
North Duplin continued to dominate possession with another shot on goal by No. 7 Gabriela Zamudio but once again, the Lady Eagles’ goalkeeper came through with a key save. The Lady Rebels stayed on the attack as No. 8 Carrly Strickland led a strong drive before No. 11 Roselin Orozco fired a shot that was stopped in front of the net.
East Bladen responded with offensive opportunities of its own. A drive resulted in a foul, giving the Lady Eagles a free kick opportunity but the attempt sailed high over the post. Moments later, East Bladen’s No. 9 Abigail Miranda-Ventura fired a shot on goal that was stopped by the North Duplin goalkeeper.
The Lady Rebels continued creating chances with a drive by No. 2 Tristen Stemmler and another shot from No. 11 Roselin Orozco that went wide. East Bladen later found momentum as No. 3 broke free for a shot attempt, but the kick missed just left of the goal.
North Duplin pieced together one of its best offensive sequences of the half when No. 7 Gabriela Zamudio connected with No. 8 Carrly Strickland who then delivered a pass to No. 2 Tristen Stemmler. However, the final shot drifted wide right.
East Bladen Breaks Through Before Halftime
After a tightly contested first half, East Bladen finally broke through late in the period. With 3:45 remaining before halftime, No. 10 Maylin McMicheal found the back of the net to give the Lady Eagles a 1-0 advantage.
The goal proved to be the difference-maker heading into the break.
Halftime Score: North Duplin Lady Rebels 0, East Bladen Lady Eagles 1
Defensive Effort Highlights Second Half
North Duplin opened the second half with urgency, controlling multiple possessions and looking for the equalizer. The Lady Rebels earned a corner kick opportunity early, but East Bladen’s defense held strong to prevent the scoring chance.
The Lady Eagles answered with a drive from No. 10 Maylin McMicheal but the North Duplin defense stepped up with a stop. A goalkeeper kick then sparked another Lady Rebels attack as No. 2 Tristen Stemmler pushed forward aggressively before drawing a foul.
North Duplin’s best chance to tie the game came on a penalty kick attempt by No. 7 Gabriela Zamudio, but the Lady Eagles goalkeeper delivered another clutch save to preserve the lead.
The Lady Rebels continued pressing after East Bladen received a yellow card, creating another scoring opportunity on a kick by No. 8 Carrly Strickland. However, the Lady Eagles’ defense came up with a huge block to clear the ball away.
East Bladen maintained its defensive intensity throughout the remainder of the match. North Duplin generated one final offensive push as No. 20 Abby Rose connected with No. 10 Sasha Arguijo but the Lady Eagles’ defense refused to break.
East Bladen Advances to Third Round
Despite a strong effort and several scoring opportunities from North Duplin, East Bladen’s defense and goalkeeping proved to be the deciding factors in a hard-fought playoff battle.
With the victory, the Lady Eagles advance to the third round of the NCHSAA 2A State Playoffs, while North Duplin’s impressive season comes to an end.
Final Score: North Duplin Lady Rebels 0, East Bladen Lady Eagles 1
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