On Tuesday, January 30, the Wylie Lady Bulldog soccer team got ready to face off against their crosstown rival, Abilene High. Having suffered a loss against the Lady Eagles in district play last year, the stakes were high for this game.
At 6:30 p.m., the Bulldogs stepped on the field for warm up. The minimal wind and slight chill in the air could be described as perfect soccer weather. Spirits were high but nerves were higher. Both teams had been preparing for weeks for this game. The buzzer went off signaling the end of warm up. The national anthem was played, and players were introduced. Then, it was time. Wylie’s starting lineup took the field.
Sophomore midfielder Zoey Robinson described the feeling before kickoff: “Honestly, so many thoughts were running through my head. I knew we could beat them but was still really nervous because of the rivalry, but whenever the game started, it felt like any other game. We all just came prepared.”
The whistle blew and the game took off. Play was fast, but eight minutes into the half Wylie freshman Claire Fellows put the ball into the back of the net. It was Bulldogs 1, Eagles 0.
It wasn’t until the second half that Abilene High tied it up with a goal off of a corner kick. However, it was only a few minutes later that Wylie countered with another goal to make it 2-1.
Abilene High earned corners and made dangerous attacking plays, but they were fended off by Wylie’s defense and senior goalkeeper Mallory Bankhead. With eight minutes left in the second half, senior Allie Allen runs onto a pass sent through Abilene High’s defense. She shoots and scores. The Bulldogs have secured their lead.
Both teams continued to battle their way through the game until the buzzer sounded. The final score was Wylie 3, Abilene High 1. Emotions were all over the place as the players shook hands. After an adrenaline rush of a game, two great teams walked away knowing they played their hardest, and Wylie girls soccer can celebrate a good start to district play.
