CPA knocks out Hurricanes, 3-1

photo East Hamilton's Jonah Goddard, right, fights for the ball with CPA's William Trapnell during their soccer match Tuesday at the Spring Fling in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

CHRIST PRESBYTERIAN ACADEMY 3, EAST HAMILTON 1Halftime score: CPA, 2-0. Goals: J.R. Osborn 2, Harrison Myers (CPA); Jose Orellana (EH). Shots: CPA, 18-13. Saves: Fielder Dennis 11 (EH); Walker Hagan 5 (CPA). Records: CPA 19-4; East Hamilton 19-2-2.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Christ Presbyterian Academy came out in the Class AA state quarterfinals and made things uncomfortable for the East Hamilton soccer team Tuesday. Along with their high pressure, the Lions also netted two goals in the first 40 minutes.

The Hurricanes never recovered.

The Lions took the two-goal edge into halftime and made it hold up for a 3-1 win in advancing to the semifinals of the BlueCross Spring Fling at the Richard Siegel Soccer Complex.

CPA got two goals from J.R. Osborn, who weaved through the Hurricanes defense in the final minutes for the second one. The match was a reversal of a regular-season match during the Baylor tournament in early March, won 3-1 by East Hamilton.

"I think we're a lot more mature than we were then," CPA coach Brett Armstrong said. "Those were our first games of the year and we didn't play particularly well. We have a lot more confidence now."

The teams played to a tie in the second half. The normally possession-heavy Hurricanes were forced to play a more direct style of soccer to put pressure on the defense, and a goal by Jose Orellana in the 61st minute on a rebound trimmed the margin to 2-1.

East Hamilton had other chances, but Osborn's second goal, which he emphatically drilled through the net, crushed the Hurricanes' state-championship hopes.

"I thought they outplayed us in the first half, and that was the difference in the game," Hurricanes coach John Millard said. "They were aggressive and fast, and we came out flat. In the second half we were inches away on a couple opportunities but came up short.

"I told the guys at halftime they needed to put a product on the field that we could be proud of, and I thought they did. I was pleased with the last 40 minutes."

It was the Hurricanes' last match in A/AA, as they will move up to AAA next school year.

"We had a great season," Millard said. "We came in with high expectations -- we wanted to win state -- but we played a team tonight that could win state."

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