Athletics
Athletics and Physical Education
The News Journal WILLIAM BRETZGER

Delaware high school girls soccer: Robino propels Hillers into final

MIDDLETOWN -- Kendal Robino's game-tying goal eight minutes into the second half helped spark Tower Hill past Charter School of Wilmington 3-1 and into the Delaware High School Girls Soccer Tournament final.

Top-seeded Tower Hill will face No. 2 Caesar Rodney in Friday's championship at Appoquinimink High.

The goal ended a slew of missed opportunities by the Hillers. Charter led 1-0 at halftime.

 

"It was huge," said Tower Hill coach Garry Chandler of the goal. "It was up to us to get balls to her and play off of what she did."

Late in the first half, Chandler moved Robino higher and closer to the goal. "Coming out of the halftime she asked me if she could stay in that position," Chandler said. "I was about to ask her what her fitness was like and she cut me off and said, 'I know I can score.'"

 

Robino's missile set the tone for the second half. The teams remained knotted for the next 20 minutes.

 

"During halftime in that locker room, we got it together," Robino said. "In that second half, I was determined to score. I had to."

Zoe Blake broke the tie with a short-range kick past Charter goalie Kristi Jackson to give the Hillers the lead with 13 minutes remaining.

Grace Firestone headed in the Hillers' third goal off a Robino corner kick with 9:36 remaining in the game.Charter (15-3) had handed Tower Hill (17-1) its only loss entering the game.

Chandler said the previous meeting made the Hillers more vulnerable heading into the game, but also more confident.

"We had a sense of avenging [the loss]," Chandler said. "What I told the players before the game is that they all had to prove to themselves that they didn't play as well as they can play the last time."

 

Jackson and the Force bottled up the Hillers in the first half. Catherine McNicol scored nine minutes into the game to put the Force up.

 

Charter coach Jon Gillespie said the Hillers' second-half effort was too much. "They wanted it a little bit more than we did today," said Charter coach John Gillespie. "They came out and played that way and really took advantage of it in the second half."

 

Charter of Wilmington 1 0 - 1

Tower Hill 0 3 - 3

First half-McNicol (Schlep), CW, 9:00

Second half-Robino, TH, 48:00; Blake, TH, 67:00; Firestone (Robino), TH, 71:00

Shots-CW 7, TH 17. Corner kicks-CW 2, TH 6. Saves-CW 14 (Jackson), TH 6 (O'Donnell).

By CHRIS BRANCH • The News Journal • June 3, 2010
Reprinted with permission of The News Journal
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