Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By Brian Pitts
Enterprise Record

Lanna Robinson worked her left-footed magic and Davie swayed the soccer gods in a 2-1 CPC win at East Forsyth on March 19.
The War Eagles badly needed a win like this after going 1-7 in one-goal games in 2024-25, including a 1-0 loss to Mt. Tabor earlier this month. They also exorcised the demons of an 0-6-1 drought against East.
“That is my first time beating East as the head coach,” fourth-year coach Corbin Kopetzky said. “I don’t know what Davie’s record is against the East in school history, but I know it’s not very good. They’ve got a lot of athletes. They are well coached and they always come to play. It’s nice seeing the girls’ hard work pay off.”
The inspiration was Robinson, who delivered both goals in the first half, giving the junior nine goals in seven games. Davie never trailed, leading 2-0 at halftime.
“Lanna hit two left-footed shots within five or six minutes of each other,” Kopetzky said. “Kate Chaffin played her a ball. It was beautiful – over the keeper’s head. On the other one, Lanna received a pass, dribbled and then hit it lower 90. In the offseason, we focused on left foot pretty heavily. We’ve got her with more of a natural swing. She works really hard in her club season, and she works really hard in our practices to make that happen. She can cut either way and put the ball in the back of the net. Lanna’s shot is a little scary. I don’t like standing in front of it. If she’s shooting at practice in a scrimmage, I’m usually getting out of the way.”
While Robinson obviously deserves an immense amount of credit, she couldn’t have beaten East for the first time since March of 2021 by herself. Goalie Aubrie Pulaski came up huge.
“She had an outstanding game,” Kopetzky said. “Aubrie made a save that kept us in the game (when it was 0-0). It was the nicest save I’ve ever watched her have. I met with her many times in the offseason to do keeper stuff. She’s really worked on air balls, and she saved one that was almost upper 90. It was a free kick and we built some momentum off that. I think that one moment changed the momentum for the game.”
The coach was thrilled with defender Mallie Wall.
“At halftime, I looked at her and said: ‘Hey, you’re doing great and you’re battling,’” Kopetzky said. “In the second half, they put one of their best players on her side, and she made stuff happen over there. She really showed up for the task and did everything we asked.”
Kopetzky got everything he was hoping for from midfielders Lydia Postell, Caroline Mitchell and Makenna McGowan. East’s lone goal came on a penalty kick.
“Our starting center three have grown a lot since the start of the season,” he said. “They clogged the center lane. Sarah Andrade has been getting big minutes in the triple triangle.”
While Davie improved to 5-1-1 overall and 1-1 in the CPC, East fell to 2-3-1, 0-1.
“I’m proud of all the girls,” he said. “They’re getting to see some success from their hard work.”
Davie 5, Forbush 1
Two nights earlier in a road nonconference game, Davie put the game out of reach in the first half.
Chaffin, Jaden Sink, Robinson, McGowan and Gracyn Coleman took turns scoring as Davie sped to a 5-1 halftime lead. Chaffin, Sink, McGowan and Coleman had one assist each.
This is only the beginning for Chaffin, McGowan and Coleman, who are future stars as freshmen. It was the second goal on the season for Chaffin.
“Kate goes in and plays real hard,” Kopetzky said. “She will body someone. We work that right wing with what we need per game. Kate can go in and wear somebody down or we can throw a little more speed in and go around them. Kate is emerging in that role nicely. She crashes the goal when we need her to. She’s young, so she’s still going to make young mistakes. But she’s coachable.”
It was the first varsity goals for McGowan, a defensive midfielder, and Coleman, the starting right center back.
“Makenna is very good at winning the ball in the middle,” he said. “She can distribute really well. She’s got a great first move.”
Coleman, who scored off a corner kick, plays defense alongside Monica Ramirez, Sink and Wall.
“That back line we have is legit,” Kopetzky said. “It’s not an easy role being a freshman. Gracyn is with two seniors and a junior. She complements (Sink) real well.”