The last time the Baylor girls soccer team lost to a local opponent was 2006 win GPS handed them a 1-0 loss in their last regular season game. The Bruisers of GPS did it again on Tuesday scoring late for a key 2-1 Division II region soccer win over the Red Raiders.
The Bruisers (10-1-1, 4-0-1) struck first in the 20th minute when freshman Akia Harris beat her defender on the right side. Harris then laid the ball off to Keyle Snyder who took a shot which was saved by the Baylor keeper but Harris was there to finish it off.
The 1-0 win lasted through the half time break and 36 minutes into the second half.
With four minutes left on the clock, GPS was called for a foul just outside the 18 after a Natalie Daniel shot. Marci Carter took the free kick which she hit hard enough to bounce off GPS keeper Savannah Williams hands and into the goal.
Baylor kept the pressure on in the final minutes but GPS defender Josie Love Roebuck played a long ball forward to Izzy Phillips who beat her defender and the keeper for what would be the game winner.
GPS head coach Leland Strang, a 2001 Baylor graduate and three year soccer starter, said the win was a team effort.
“This was a total team effort,” Strang said. “They stayed hungry. They have a do whatever it takes mentality and they celebrate one another.”
Strand said she told the girls to play their game at the half, leading 1-0.
“I told them they needed to keep their composure, play our game and continue to maintain possession.”
The Red Raiders fall to 8-2 overall and 1-2 in the region.
Baylor head coach Jimmy Weekley was proud of how his team played in the second half.
“I thought in the first half we did not play well,” said Weekley. “We didn’t possess the ball well and played at a panic pace. I told the girls they played well in the second half. We had a lot of chances that didn’t go our way.”
Baylor has struggled with injuries this year and several girls are just getting back on the field.
“ With the girls just coming back our fitness level is not there but our season is not based on beating GPS it’s winning a state championship,” Weekley said.
Baylor has three region games left including BGA on Thursday and Harpeth Hall and Pope John Paul II over the next several weeks.
GPS also has a big region game this week as they host Father Ryan on Thursday. Father Ryan beat Baylor last week and had a 3-0-1 region record.
Strang is excited to see her team play well.
“We are ready to take this a notch higher, this team and this program,” Strang said.