Rockdale Citizen

Photo by Howard Reed

COVINGTON -- The Class AAA Lady Eagles defeated Class AAAA Rockdale 5-2 on Tuesday night and forced a 2-2 tie with Class AAAAA Archer on Wednesday night at Cousins Middle School.

Eastside (3-0-1) controlled possession from the outset against Rockdale but had trouble finding the back of the net. The Lady Bulldogs scored the first goal allowed by the Lady Eagles this year on a breakaway with 26:50 left in the first half. Eastside knotted the game at 1-1 four minutes later when freshman Alex Morvik notched her first varsity goal off an assist from sophomore Kylee Burne. Amber Lafond scored at the 17:42 mark to give the Lady Eagles a 2-1 lead at the half.

Karlie McCallum scored 15 minutes into the second half to put Eastside up 3-1. The Lady Bulldogs responded three minutes later to pull within 3-2 before Lafond scored her second goal of the match with 21:39 left in the game. McCallum added her second goal off a Sarah Gaddis assist with 16:24 left to make the final 5-2.

The Lady Eagles' defense held the Bulldogs to only 5 shots as Eastside improved to 3-0-0. Keeper Savannah Hill was credited with her third win of the season. Last year's keeper, Carly Farrow, saw her first action of the season when she went in to start the second half.

In Wednesday's game, Archer moved the ball around quickly and acurately, creating scoring opportunities from the start. Fortunately for the Lady Eagles, it was the Archer that misfired on its chances in a scoreless first half.

While the shot count was even in the first half, the second half possession would be dominated by the Lady Tigers. Angie Cruz scored less than 2 minutes into the second half to give Archer the lead.

For the second night in a row, Morvik scored the Lady Eagles' first goal -- this time off a Tara Harrison free kick.

The Lady Tigers would reclaim the lead with 34:26 left when Cruz scored her second goal of the night. Over the next 25 minutes, Eastside was barraged with shots by Archer, with Farrow making her first start of the year, making eight saves.

Yet it was Eastside that cashed in on a breakaway by McCallum with 9:35 left to draw level. The final minutes of the game would find Eastside once again holding the Tigers off to get a hard-earned tie.

The Lady Eagles are getting ready to head out on the road for the first time this season. They play at Loganville at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and face a rematch with Alcovy at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.