Campbell Shines, Gruber’s Late Match Heroics Earns Hopewell a 1-1 Tie Against Riverside

HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP– For the second consecutive event, Tony Dorsett Stadium hosted a thrilling overtime athletic event.

On Friday, the Vikings High School football team defeated Ambridge 35-34 in overtime and last night, it was the Lady Vikings soccer team time to shine.

For those that subscribe to the theory that you need offense for a game to be exciting, last night was an example of why that’s not necessarily true.

It was Youth Soccer Night so all the young players and their families were treated to an exciting night and credit to everyone that showed up to root the team one, including the high school boys’ soccer team along with a number of the high school football players.

Hopewell and Riverside combined for only 2 goals but for those at the stadium, they were on the edge of their seats the entire second half and in overtime as the match ended in a 1-1 tie. Thanks to heroics from Hopewell senior Haley Gruber, who scored with 18 seconds left in regulation to send the match to overtime.

In reality, the Hopewell players dominated the entire 80 minutes of regulation play as the field was completely titled in their favor, with them putting constant pressure in Riverside’s zone but credit their goalie for keeping the match scoreless until the final seconds.

With question the best player on the field last night was Hopewell senior Angela Campbell. If you’ve yet to see her play, try and get out to an upcoming match but she’s something else. HSN’s two other top performers were goalie Allison Ramaley and junior Caylee Sundy.

GAME RECAP:

1ST HALF-
*33:00: Campbell with a couple of nice 1-on-1 moves and puts pressure around the Riverside net.

*22:10: Grace Hochmuth with nice dribbling, passes to Campbell, who gets the ball back to Hochmuth, who gets a nice shot off in the middle of the zone. 0-0

*7:21: A scramble for the ball in Hopewell’s end, Riverside comes up with it and puts it into an open net. Riverside 1-0

HALFTIME: RIVERSIDE 1-0

2ND HALF-
*38:00: Campbell with a prime chance but is stopped.

*35:10: Sundy busts down the right side past a defender and from deep in Riverside’s end, Caylee gets off a shot from the corner but is denied.

*33:00: Campbell gets past a couple Riverside players and from deep in their end (10-yard line) takes a shot but is stopped.

*29:25: Campbell races up the left side, around a defender but once again is denied.  Riverside 1-0

*22:25: Aubrey Cumpston with a nice opportunity from the slot, Sundy is in front for a rebound attempt but is knocked down. However, no call. Riverside 1-0

*11:52: An unreal 1-on-1 effort from Campbell weaving in and out, gets the best chance of the match from the 5-yard line but once again is stopped. Much credit to the Riverside goalie.

*1:27:  This is a KEY save, as a Riverside player comes in on a breakaway, but Ramaley makes the save. If they score and go up 2-0, the match would’ve been over however it remains 1-0.

*18 seconds left: Hopewell is putting pressure on; the ball goes out to the top of the zone and Gruber lifts a shot up high past the Riverside goalie. 1-1

OVERTIME-
*6:00 minutes left- Campbell’s speed gets her a breakaway but her shot goes wide right.

*5:19 left- Ramaley with a great save high in the middle of the net.

*4:22 left- There’s a loose ball deep in the Hopewell zone, players from both teams are running for it but Ramaley races in from the net to cover it up. That was key.

DOUBLE-OVERTIME:
*3:13 left- Once again, Ramaley is able to chase down a ball at the top of the net, if not, Riverside would’ve had a mini-breakaway.

*2:05 left- Campbell outraces everyone, gets around a defender and takes a shot to the far-left corner but it’s stopped.

MATCH ENDS IN A 1-1 TIE!!

Congrats ladies on a great match in front of the home crowd. Next up, Hopewell will travel to West Allegheny on Saturday.