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GREENWICH, Conn. The Greenwich High girls soccer team thought it had the game wrapped up Wednesday afternoon. With Greenwich clinging to a 2-1 lead, Staples was awarded a penalty kick with less than 12 minutes remaining. Maddie Graham guessed right, however, and stonewalled Staples Siri Andrews to wild cheers from the Greenwich bench.
Game over, right? Not so fast.
Staples got one last shot with less than two minutes to play when Alexandra Weiner was awarded a free kick from 40-yards out. Staples then went for broke and pulled its goalie, Jesse Ambrose, up to play on offense.
Weiner's kick somehow found Ambroses head and the Wreckers goalie redirected the ball just enough to give Staples a score and stunning 2-2 tie with Greenwich.
It was a great game. It was two teams out there trying their hardest to win a [conference] game, Greenwich head coach Danny Simpson said. Pulling a save out from a penalty kick, you think the games going to go your way. Its tough, but what a display for girls football [soccer].
Though Greenwich held the lead for all but five minutes of the game, Staples controlled the ball in the Greenwich zone for most of the contest. Greenwich's Naomi Leeds scored off a corner kick just 3:30 into the first half.
After Greenwich surrendered a tying goal with 10:51 to play in the first half, Leeds struck again. Racing down the field after the kick-off, Leeds gave the lead right back to Greenwich just 11 seconds later.
Graham had a busy afternoon, surviving 13 Staples shots. She saved six that came directly at the net, including the dramatic penalty kick. Still, the stunning finish made it feel like a loss to the Cardinals.
This was definitely a bummer knowing how hard we fought, especially in the second half, Graham said. To save that penalty, but still have them come back from that and tie it on a free kick. Its tough, but we have to just say, hey, we did well and kept it a tie.
Greenwich (6-1-2) hosts Ridgefield on Columbus Day for a 2 p.m. game.
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