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By Brian Pitts

Enterprise Record

For the second time this season, the Davie and Mt. Tabor soccer teams waged an incredible defensive struggle. But for the second time, the Davie varsity ended up on the short end of a 1-0 decision, this one coming in overtime at War Eagle Stadium on March 27.

In 2022, Tabor squeaked out a 2-1 win over Davie before the War Eagles got 1-0 revenge in overtime. Earlier this season in a tournament at West Forsyth, the Spartans prevailed 1-0.

“Us, Tabor and Reynolds finished right around each other last year,” coach Corbin Kopetzky said. “We’re evenly matched, but we came up on the short end of the stick.”

Davie and Tabor went at it for 100 grueling minutes.

“We fought for 100 minutes,” Kopetzky said. “Some things were out of our control. I tell the girls we’ve got to control the controllables.”

Two Davie shots came oh so close to penetrating the goal, but unlucky Davie ultimately slipped to 1-2 in the Central Piedmont Conference.

“Somebody took a shot and it hit the crossbar and popped back to Lexi Kulis,” he said. “Lexi shot a rebound and it hit the crossbar.”

Not for the first time, the War Eagles played superb defense. (To this point, they’d held five of seven opponents to one or zero goals.) Goalie Avery Yount made a classic save.

“They had a shot that Avery made a heck of a save on,” he said. “It was a lower-90 shot. I feel like I’ve said this time and time again, but it’s the best save that she’s made. It went around the bar. This one was crazy.”

Emily Garner returned from injury and was a monster in the midfield.

“She is a difference-maker,” he said. “When she runs the middle, it’s crazy how many turnovers she causes. Sometimes we have to rein her in. Sometimes she’s a bull in a china shop, and sometimes she’s just enough to get in your head. But a lot of times she finds that happy medium and can control the game in the middle of the field.”

Jaden Sink, Kim Torres, Skylar Link, Riley Almond, Mya McGowan, Aubrie Pulaski, Sarah Andrade, Kulis and Lanna Robinson were as tough as nails, as each played at least 85 minutes.   

“Jaden is something else,” Kopetzky said. “She takes a beating back there. I hate seeing it, but she is a heck of a ballplayer. Kim played all but the last 10 minutes. Jaden, Skylar, Riley, Mya, Aubrie, Sarah and Lexi played 100 minutes. Emily came off for five or 10 minutes. Lanna played about 85 minutes.”

No one has improved more than junior Madison Hayes, who is seeing more and more minutes as a backup.

“Madison has made a big improvement over the last year,” he said. “She played about half a game last year on JV. She came up and was a 0-5 minute girl to start the season, and she’s worked her way into a 10-15 minute role. Where I tell her to go, she goes. She gives me every bit of effort she’s got. She’s made good passes the last two games.”

Notes: After tying Reynolds 0-0, Tabor improved to 3-4-2 overall and 1-1-1 in the CPC. … First-place West Forsyth overpowered Davie 5-0 in Clemmons on March 29. The Titans rose to 9-2-1 and 5-0 in the CPC. It was the third straight loss for Davie (2-5-1, 1-3).