CORPUS CHRISTI — When Julianna Millin scored with 6:42 remaining during the first half to close McAllen High’s deficit to one goal, suddenly there seemed to be a different air of Bulldogs’ confidence.
That same air of confidence rose again after a Mallory Henderson penalty kick, coming after a handball call in the box, cut the deficit once again to one.
Boerne-Champion, however, struck one more time late during the second half to capture a 4-2 win over McHi in the Region IV-5A girls soccer semifinal Friday at the Cabaniss Sports Complex.
“It was about scoring chances and we had some,” McHi head coach Patrick Arney said. “The girls played well and had this team scared.”
The Chargers jumped out to a 2-0 lead and looked to be in a mismatch with a somewhat shaky starting Bulldogs group. However, Millin, a freshman who led the Bulldogs in scoring this season, took a pass from senior Briana Claudio during a flurry in front of the goal and scored. Millin took another shot at 3:57 remaining that the B-C keeper stopped to keep her team in front at the half. The standout freshman scored in all four Bulldogs’ postseason games this season.
B-C opened the scoring on a goal from Mackenzie Arendali during the fifth minute and went up 2-0 when Emily Peters drilled a shot from about 35 yards out.
While the Chargers didn’t necessarily hold possession for long persiods, their pressing and aggressive defense forced McHi completely out of their ball control possession game, making them pass the ball early and accurately. B-C, however, often was a step in front of McHi and made several more runs on goal.
With 10:45 remaining in regulation, the Chargers created a flurry of activity in front of the goal, but keeper Bethany Sanchez fully extended in traffic, made the save and preserved her team’s one-goal deficit, keeping them in the contest.
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