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Sports

Girls Soccer: Rebels Outlast Cypress

Flintridge Prep survives controversial call to win 2-1.

Sometimes a simple officiating call can decide a soccer match or cause a change in momentum.

That almost happened against the luck of the Flintridge Prep girls soccer team Tuesday when it hosted Cypress in a second-round CIF-Southern Section Division III match.

But the Rebels were able to overcome the controversial call and earn a 2-1 victory to move on to the quarterfinals Thursday.

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“They didn’t deserve that penalty and one of my old coaches told me if you don’t deserve a (penalty kick), it’s not going to go in — and that’s exactly what happened,” Flintridge Prep star Brooke Elby said. “I think honestly it was 50/50, but any 50/50 (play) always goes for the keeper and you can’t base a game on a 50/50 tackle.”

The play that turned the match around happened in the 44th minute when both sides were locked in a 1-1 tie.

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Rebels’ goalie Casey Cousineau came charging out at the edge of her goal box to make a save when she collided with Cypress forward Hailey Griffith.

Griffith got the worst of the collision and immediately fell to the ground.

The referee whistled a free kick in favor of the Rebels. Griffith remained on the ground for nearly 30 minutes. Paramedics were called to transport her to a local hospital.

When play resumed after the long delay, the referee decided to give Cypress a penalty kick.

“He called a foul on the girl that ran into our keeper. You always protect the keeper,” Flintridge Prep coach Esteban Chavez said. “That was the second time he changed his mind during the game. I’m not a referee and I’m not qualified to be a referee, but you don’t call it one way and then just because of a serious injury and the pressure of the parents you call it the other and give her a yellow (card).”

When play resumed the Rebels had to send in reserve goalie Samantha Harper, who did not even have time to warm up. But it wasn’t an issue as the Centurions’ Samantha Rice put the ball over the crossbar.

“I was talking to the refs and they said they would talk about it and they thought it was a PK,” Cypress coach Nicole Woiemberghe said. “I wasn’t counting on it, but I knew it could go either way.”

Flintridge Prep (18-3-2) was able to regroup during the delay, and in the 55th minute the Rebels scored the game-winner as Kaitlyn Kelleher headed in a corner kick from Elby.

“We’ve practiced that corner. This year we really haven’t capitalized on it and finally we did,” Chavez said. “On corner kicks we really haven’t scored.”

The Rebels got on the board in the 15th minute when Elby was able to remain onsides and beat the Cypress offsides trap. She then took a pass from Connell Studenmund and put it past goalie Amy Fisher.

Cypress (17-8) forced Cousineau to make nine saves in the match.

Emma Pridmore scored the Centurions lone gola in the 40th minute off of a free kick. 

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