Special goal lifts Lady Tigers to playoff victory
Sat. February 04, 2012 at 12:56 a.m. | By Kelly McElroy/Staff Writer
Terrebonne's Carey LeBlanc (left) battles Acadiana's Autumn St. Anne for the ball on Friday night in Houma. (Photo by Abby Tabor/Staff)
The back of the Terrebonne girls soccer team's gray hoodies poses the question, "What's life without goals?"
Well everyone in attendance at Friday night's playoff match will remember the goal scored by Lady Tigers player Halle Bergeron that lifted No. 15 Terrebonne over No. 18 Acadiana 1-0 in the first-round of the Division I playoffs.
The goal also helped the Lady Tigers, winners of seven straight district titles, reach their goal of winning their first playoff match since 2008.
With around 10 minutes left, Terrebonne's Sarah LeCompte threw the ball in from the right sideline to the middle of the field toward the top of the penalty box where teammate Kiriste Champagne gathered it and dropped the ball back to Bergeron, who was gearing up for the shot a couple yards behind her.
Bergeron then blasted a right-footed laser from just about the arc above the penalty box about 20 yards out.
The ball had a slight curve to it, but Acadiana goalie Alexis Broussard, a tall keeper, had a beat on it. She timed her jump exactly correct, except Bergeron's shot had perfect placement.
It made it just over Broussard's outstretched finger tips and underneath the crossbar and the Terrebonne bench and stands at Tom B. Smith Stadium erupted in elation when the ball swooshed the net.
The Lady Tigers held on for the next 10 minutes to secure the win and a trip to face No. 2 St. Scholastica at 7 p.m. Tuesday in second-round action from Covington
"I don't really shoot a lot, I am more of a passer," Bergeron said. "It curved. It was a perfect shot. It was very special."
Terrebonne got much support from its student body. Bergeron said her boyfriend organized a white out, and nearly all the students in attendance followed the lead, wearing white shirts to the match.
"We fed of the crowd," Bergeron said. "It was awesome to hear the crowd roar after the goal."
Terrebonne came out quick in the first half with two early scoring chances before Acadiana settled in and the match was scoreless at halftime.
"It was a very evenly played match," Acadiana coach Stephen Devine said. "You have to give it to them. Their fans gave us a great atmosphere. I think that rattled us at the beginning, but 10-12 minutes in, we kind of settled down. It was a battle in the midfield, and they won. They had great effort and great desire. We are young, and we will take this feeling and build on it for next year."
Scoring chances were at a premium in the second half, but Acadiana found the back of the net on combination pass that ended with Jocy Doucet scoring, except she was called for offsides, and the goal was negated.
"We got a little lucky on that offsides call," Terrebonne coach Ray LeCompte said. "But that's the game. The girls played wonderful, and they played hard. That was a great goal (by Bergeron). That's the play of the week. What a finish. That's what they are out here for. Those kind of memories. Acadiana came to win, but we were better than they were."
Terrebonne lost key players Joelie Cantrelle and Elizabeth Jordan before the goal to injuries, but both returned after the goal to help the Lady Tigers secure the win.
"We had a couple injuries happen," LeCompte said. "We got them both back in there. It helped me make some changes that helped us shut the door. They were getting too many attacks so we had to close the door."
As the Lady Tigers, who got a clean-sheet victory in goal from Lindsey Naquin, left the field, the student body in attendance formed a tunnel for the Lady Tigers to walk under.
"This win means a lot," Terrebonne senior forward Taylor Bergeron said. "We dominate on throw ins and corner kicks. They left the middle open a lot, and it was key that we went there (to Halle Bergeron), and after she scored, we went into defense mode."
NO. 10 MORGAN CITY 4, NO. 23 SOUTH TERREBONNE 2 (GIRLS)
At Morgan City, Alyssa Ross and Katie Chauvin each scored goals, but it was not enough as the Lady Gators were eliminated in the Division II bi-district playoffs on Friday.
NO. 12 MORGAN CITY 4, NO. 21 SOUTH TERREBONNE 0 (BOYS)
At Morgan City, the Gators season came to an end with Friday's loss to District 8-II foe Morgan City in the Division II bi-district round of the playoffs.
N0. 3 BROTHER MARTIN 3, NO. 30 SOUTH LAFOURCHE 0 (BOYS)
At New Orleans, the Tarpons ended their season at 8-8 overall with Friday's loss in the Division I bi-district playoffs.
NO. 6 UNIVERSITY 5, NO. 23 HOUMA CHRISTIAN 0 (BOYS)
At Baton Rouge, the Warriors (5-7-2) were knocked out of the Division III playoffs with Friday's loss in the Division III bi-district playoffs.
Houma Christian's Jonathan Haydel finished with 48 saves.
