Gibbons comes up short of unbeaten girls’ soccer season after state final loss

Cardinal Gibbons held Montverde Academy down, but just couldn’t take them out. Second-seed Cardinal Gibbons finished as the Class 3A girls’ soccer state runners-up on Saturday after dropping a heart-breaking 2-0 state championship game to Montverde. “The girls played exactly how we expected them to play,” Cardinal Gibbons coach Margo Flack said. “Having the ball, we just wanted to be patient and just look for some transitions and counter attacks. We had some chances, they just didn’t fall. “I think our girls got tired. We had a pretty difficult game in the semis and (Montverde) didn’t. And I think we just got worn down. I think it was a great game. They are a great team.” The game was scoreless with escalating tension until Montverde junior forward Lola Rey struck the back of the net with 12:35 remaining in the game to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead. “I saw a girl coming at me and I knew she was going to dive in, so I took it a little to my right foot and scored in the corner,” Rey said. Cardinal Gibbons senior forward and LSU commit Mia Conard switched to defense and played center-back for the game, and it helped shut down Montverde. “I like playing defense and I think I did very well there,” Conard said. “I just think we turned it off for second, and that is when they got their goal.” Montverde (21-1-1) iced the win when reserve sophomore midfielder scored with 5:59 left for a 2-0 lead. Cardinal Gibbons (21-1-2) goalkeeper Kennedy McCausland recorded four saves and kept Montverde at bay most of the game, despite having to fight off several loose balls in front of the net which could have put Chiefs in a hole. “I think it was really intense the whole game,” McCausland said. “My defense definitely helped. I had the best center-back for the game. It was really good and I think towards the end we just got really tired. They were really fast.” Montverde held Cardinal Gibbons to eight shots in the game – two in the first half – while goalkeeper Alyssa Strausbaugh made three saves. Flack praised her defense and especially the play of her goalkeeper McCausland. “Kennedy, our keeper, has been great all season and I don’t think there was anything she could do,” Flack said.