Fitch falters, season ends in 4-0 defeat to Green

Staff photo / Dan Hiner
Fitch’s Tayrismer Mendez Tirado (19) tries to settle a jumping ball while holding off a pair of Green defenders during Monday’s Division II district semifinal at Green Memorial Stadium.

GREEN — It had been a little over a month since the Austintown Fitch and Green girls soccer teams squared off at Falcon Stadium.

The Bulldogs came away with a win that September night, and it was a similar story Monday as the two faced each other again in a Division II district semifinal. This time, the Bulldogs advanced after a 4-0 victory at Green Memorial Stadium.

“We knew going into this game that we were going to see an opponent that was very technical, very good,” Fitch coach Kara Garland said.

The Falcons (3-12-2) fell behind early and were forced to play catch-up all night. The Bulldogs struck just under eight minutes into the game, and they controlled the first 20 minutes of play.

Green (10-5-3) increased the lead to 2-0 with 3:12 to play before the half. Madysen Kerley sent a free kick into the bottom-right corner and past the extended arms of Fitch keeper Jordan Corll.

“I feel like we kinda got a little bit of momentum in the second part of the first half, and then we conceded again off a free kick,” Garland said.

Then things went from bad to worse after Corll had to leave the game five minutes into the second half. She came to the edge of the box to try and stop a shot, but the ball caught her in the head. Melina Carrabbia grabbed a pinny and a pair of gloves to finish the game in the net.

Green capitalized on the goalie change when Leilani McMichael lifted a shot over the head of Carrabbia less than a minute into her stint on the back end.

Despite the quick score allowed, Carrabbia helped keep the Falcons in the game. She registered 10 saves, and her final goal allowed came in the closing minutes when the match was already decided.

“(Carrabbia) is very ready to go in anywhere,” Garland said. “When Jordan went down, it was like she already knew and was directing people on the sideline to go get her gloves, like she was about to go in a goal. She did a fantastic job.”

The Falcons had a couple opportunities to put pressure on the Bulldogs, but they were unable to break through.

In the first half, Serena Robinson followed a shot and had an open net on a rebound attempt, but the ball got stuck in her feet along the left side of the frame. In the second half, Tayrismer Mendez Tirado blew through the Green defense. She had some space, but she couldn’t get enough on the shot to get it past the goalie.

“We had scary moments for them,” Garland said. “I feel like that’s something we struggled with all season, just having someone who can put the ball into the back of the net consistently. I feel like we had moments in the game where we were a threat to them.”

Garland concluded her first season as the Falcons’ head coach. She also had to say goodbye to her seven-girl senior class. That group consisted of Sophia Hunter, Alex Willis, Addison Williams, Gianna Franklin, Chloe Smith, Corll and Robinson.

“The progress they made, they never gave up, they bought into what we were trying to accomplish and they didn’t settle,” Garland said. “There were maybe three or four that started at the beginning of the season, but near the end of it, everyone had the ability to start.

“We’re gonna miss the senior class. Jordan in goal, Chloe, (and the other) players on the field … they’re irreplaceable. We’re thankful for the effort and what they brought to the program.”