Banged-up Lady Bulldogs fall to Corpus Christi Carroll

McALLEN — Playing in the McHi Showcase is a delicate balancing act.

Get your players some much needed experience before district play begins next week, but don’t get anybody dinged up because you’ll need them fresh.

A young McAllen High Lady Bulldogs team was in that frame of mind as they battled a fresher, quicker Corpus Christi Carroll team and lost 3-1 Friday night in the marquee game of the first round of the McHi Showcase. McHi, Carroll, Los Fresnos and Harlingen High will go at it again today after playing two matches each Friday. McHi Coach Pat Arney agreed that playing hard and together was important, but so is staying healthy.

“We’re hurt,” Arney said. “We wanted to give a good accounting of ourselves, but sometimes the ball doesn’t bounce your way. We had some chances, but that’s the way soccer is. You have to take your chances when you get them.”

McHi tied No. 3-ranked Harlingen 1-1 earlier Friday.

But Friday night, playing against the wind in the first half was perhaps McHi’s biggest challenge. The Lady Tigers took advantage of that prevailing southern wind and dominated the first half. Carroll kept the ball on McHi’s side of the pitch (the north side) the entire first half. Even so, Carroll scored just one goal after what seemed like a dozen shots. McHi’s defense bent, but only broke once when Carroll’s Vanessa Franco hit the net from 25 yards out just before halftime.

McHi just missed on a breakaway before intermission, but it wasn’t until the second half that it really showed signs of offensive life. At about the 10th minute (official time was not kept), sophomore Taylor Crowe scored on a spectacular play when she beat the Carroll goalie by forcing the ball into the net off a rebound. McHi had a few other chances close in, but Carroll’s constant pressure was just too much. Later in the second half, Carroll midfielder Alexa Rabagos scored twice with resounding strikes from nearly the same location 20 yards out. Rabagos scored in the 17th and 25th minutes.

Coach Eddie Dillon said his Lady Tigers’ victory showed they are making strides and getting better.

“I’m pleased with our team over the last week,” he said. “We’ve been looking for the right combination. I think it’s coming along. It’s a process.”

With the win Carroll improves to 9-2. McHi drops to 5-3-1. The Lady Bulldogs play Los Fresnos at 1 p.m. today to finish out the McHi Showcase.