Girls' Soccer Falls 2-1 on Senior Night to Crusaders

The Cranford girls' varsity soccer team has been battling game-in and game-out, and while the results on the scoreboard have been disappointing at times, this  young and improving team continues to push the best teams in the county to the brink each and every game.

Such was the case last night -- when the Lady Cougars and their faithful fans celebrated senior night at Memorial field against Johnson, in a game eventually won by the Crusaders 2-1. 

The defending county champions  trailed 1-0 late in the middle of the second half, when Taylor Pace knotted the game at 1-all -- curving a right-footed free kick from 25 yards out on the right flank, which went over the Crusaders goalie and into the back of the net. It was a goal for the highlight reel.

"Before I took the shot I was trying to think that if I score, it was going to be a tied game. When I made it in, I was real happy. I thought it was going to go over the goal, but once the goalie jumped up, it went right over her head. and I knew it was going in." 

Johnson tallied a late goal to edge Cranford 2-1, but desite the disappointment, the squad know they're getting better every time they take the field.

"We did really good tonight," added Pace. "We hustled up and down the field. The transition back, marking up girls -- is what we did wrong, but we really hustled and got the ball when we wanted to get the ball."

Cranford is gearing up to defend their county crown, with the preliminary round set to begin next week. Pace believes that she and her teammates can make some noise in the big dance.

"I really want to win counties again for the second year," she said.