Short-handed Sea Devils remain unbeaten at 12-0-1

Cape Fear 4         Louisburg 3

Any coach will tell you a team’s true test of character comes when their backs are against the wall; when odds are stacked against them. For coach Chris Libert’s club, the team has breezed through the schedule thus far, unbeaten with just one tie late last month at Hartford Community College. With two of their top players out, Libert knew he would have to get an outstanding effort from the entire team to get a result at home against Louisburg.

After a yellow card was issued to Cape Fear’s keeper Samantha Walker for  illegal touching outside the box, the Lady Hurricanes jumped on the opportunity off a free kick to take the early lead 1-0. Jessica Scales put Louisburg in the driver’s seat 2-0 in the 31^st minute after she split the back defenders and beat Walker.

At the half, Libert called on his club to stay the course knowing that the momentum could swing their way if a few things fell into place.

“Soccer’s a crazy game,” said Libert. “You could possess the ball for 80 percent of the game and still be down. I told the team we just have to keep chipping way and it’ll happen.”

While the Sea Devils controlled possession for most of the match, it wasn’t until a foul was called in the box off a corner kick in the 47^th minute that set up a penalty kick for one of Cape Fear’s most experienced players in White Oak product Amanda Fenton. Fenton quickly made the score 2-1, but Scales answered back for Louisburg 15 minutes later to retake a two-goal lead.

“At 3-1, yeah, I thought we were in trouble, but we stayed focused and had an unbelievable final 30 minutes of play.” Libert said.

The Lady Sea Devils were able to put together a number of clean touches which resulted in three straight goals for the win. Lauren Smith started the scoring frenzy on a shot into the upper 90 from outside the 18-yard line in the 68^th minute off an assist from Fenton. Freshman Anna Mixon leveled the match at three in the 71^st minute and Smith put the game away four minutes later with her second goal to close out the scoring for Cape Fear.

“This was a total team effort, from top to bottom” said Libert. “To come back twice by two goal deficits, that shows heart and I think good teams find ways to win.”

Cape Fear is 12-0-1 overall and 9-0 in Region X play. The Lady Sea Devils are ranked nationally at No. 19 in this week’s NJCAA poll and are listed at No. 11 in the NSCAA rankings.

The ladies have a two game lead in conference with a three game road trip on the horizon. Cape Fear has won the last five of six conference championships but will face Spartanburg Methodist College in Spartanburg, S.C., Saturday. Methodist defeated Cape Fear last year in penalty kicks to take the Region X title. The Lady Sea Devils will also play Sunday at Georgia Perimeter College and will wrap the road trip next Wednesday at USC Salkehatchie.

CFCC-Louisburg game statistics:

First half- Louisburg, Catherina Borgstrom, 7^th minute; Jessica Scales, 31^st minute

Second half- CFCC, Amanda Fenton, 47^th minute (PK); Louisburg, Jessica Scales, 61^st minute; CFCC, Lauren Smith, (Fenton) 68^th minute; Anna Mixon, (Laurie) 71^st minute; Lauren Smith, (Berti) 75^th minute

Shots on goal- CFCC, 16; Louisburg, 5

Corner kicks- CFCC, 6; Louisburg 0

Fouls- CFCC, 5; Louisburg, 11

Yellow cards- CFCC, Samantha Walker, 30^th minute; Kelly Sigmon, 31^st minute