The Sampson County Soccer Club’s under-18 girls soccer traveled to Roanoke Valley on Sunday to face a strong Roanoke team that had just waxed Greater Cleveland’s team 9-3 the day before. Behind multiple athletic saves by goalie and team co-captain Edith Jayne Carr, Clinton United won 2-1.

“Edye Jayne not only is athletic but her communication during a match is always exemplary,” Coach Ken Yang stated. “The keeper can see the entire field. Captain Carr functions as an on-field coach constantly barking to players their assigned tasks as well as best options for a pass. She is fearless in sacrificing her body.”

Edye will is a junior at Clinton High School.

In front of Edye Jayne, her defensive line consists of Clinton High School (CHS) senior Olivia Sessoms; CHS sophomore Ella Faison; Justyna Gargala, a senior at East Bladen High School; CHS sophomore Meaghan Lamb; and CHS freshmen Zebria Vann and Britt Thornton.

Although the entire team struggled with ball possession at times, the Clinton United midfield and forwards managed to string together enough opportunities to force Roanoke on their heels. CHS senior Reagan Barefoot with sophomores Elizabeth Coleman and Ashlyn Williams (co-captain) combined often with freshmen Olivia Williford and Kayla Yang on some “elegant one touch passing,” Yang noted.

Yang went on to say attacker Katey Yang (co-captain) led two alternating freshman strikers, Taylor Spell and Ruth Brock, on several high-pressure scoring chances to no avail.

Clinton did suffer one injury when feisty and determined defender/winger Katherine Bauman, a Clinton High School freshman, was clipped in the knee by a Roanoke attacker. Preliminary reports are that Bauman’s injury is not severe.

Eventually, Clinton United strung together a combination of great passes where Barefoot punched in a crossbar caroming shot from Taylor for the first goal. That would tie the game 1-1, before Williford and Spell combined on a give-and-go play where the right-footed Spell curled in a left-footed shot at the corner of the 18-yard box into the Roanoke right side net for the win.

Edye Jayne Carr made multiple athletic saves for Clinton United on Sunday.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_Clinton-united-1.jpgEdye Jayne Carr made multiple athletic saves for Clinton United on Sunday.

Ken Yang contributed to this story. Melony Henderson can be reached at [email protected].