Yahoo Sports Marvin Ridge girls’ soccer upsets nationally ranked Ashley, earns NCHSAA 4A title
Isabella Zicchinolfi nailed it.
Staring down the posts late in the NCHSAA 4A girls’ soccer final, Zicchinolfi lined up for a free kick. Her Marvin Ridge Mavericks had been in a deadlock against Ashley High of Wilmington after striking first against one of the highest-ranked squads in the nation.
The energetic fan sections on-hand quieted as Zicchinolfi readied for her attempt. And as her high-arcing shot sailed into the back of the goal, the Mavericks rejoiced.
Zicchinolfi’s dramatic penalty kick was the deciding factor in Marvin Ridge’s 2-1 victory Friday night, capping a state championship match that was as hard-fought as they come.
“That’s her specialty,” Marvin Ridge head coach Jenna Borrelli said of Zicchinolfi, who was voted MVP. “She had confidence, too. I think that’s the biggest thing — you want your players to have that confidence on the field. That people believe in them.”
Marvin Ridge (15-4-5) won its first 4A state title Friday, and the school’s first since 2010, when the Mavericks beat Raleigh’s Cardinal Gibbons, 1-0, in the 3A state final.
They continually turned away a gritty Ashley squad at the Mecklenburg County SportsPlex in Matthews, marking the first NCHSAA girls’ soccer final to be played in the Charlotte area. Raleigh or Greensboro had hosted every girls’ state championship match since they began in 1986.
Ashley (23-1-2), just outside of Wilmington, is ranked No. 3 in the United States in MaxPreps’ national girls’ soccer rankings. With only No. 1 Providence Day of Charlotte and Atlanta’s Marist ahead of them, the Screaming Eagles are the country’s highest-ranked public school.
But Marvin Ridge got the best of them.
Breaking down the action
Both sides battled throughout an intense first half. Marvin Ridge was aggressive, with junior defender Jessica Mattson and senior midfielder Camryn McKee among those helping break up early possessions from its opponent.
And the Mavericks jumped out first.
Freshman forward Lucy Chin hammered home the first goal with roughly three minutes left in the first half. Her strike from the goalie’s left gave Marvin Ridge a 1-0 lead at halftime.
But Ashley had an answer. With about 30 minutes left in regulation, a header from Screaming Eagles junior Savannah Manset knotted the match at one.
Worth mentioning
Jenna Borrelli, the first-year head coach at Marvin Ridge, took the reins before this season after longtime head coach Keith Koteles stepped down.
The Mavericks earned just two wins through their first nine matches this season. They entered Friday night as winners of six straight, having outscored opponents 25-3 in the playoffs.
Ashley defeated Marvin Ridge, 5-1, on March 9 in the Brittany Soccer Showcase.
They said it
“We had no idea what to expect. We just set a goal to be faithful, to show up, to care for the girls in their hearts, and to work with them. We did. We brought our kids every day — we’ve never worked so hard these last few months. We always had talent on our team. We knew it was possible.” — first-year head coach and state champion Jenna Borrelli.
