Youth/High School Soccer
Top four seeds advance to DIAA Division I girls soccer semifinals
The road to a Delaware state championship became a little clearer Wednesday night as the top four seeds in the DIAA Division I Girls Soccer Tournament all advanced to the semifinal round.
Defending state champion and top-seeded Appoquinimink continued its title defense with a 3-1 victory over No. 8 Sussex Tech. The Jaguars controlled much of the action and did enough offensively to secure their place in the final four, moving one step closer to another championship appearance.
Second-seeded Odessa delivered the most dominant performance of the evening, overwhelming No. 7 St. Georges by a score of 7-0. Odessa’s high-powered attack was on full display as the Ducks left little doubt about their championship aspirations with the convincing shutout victory.
The night’s most dramatic contest came between No. 3 Middletown and No. 6 Smyrna. After a tense battle that ended level after regulation and overtime, Middletown survived a penalty kick shootout, edging Smyrna 4-3 to advance. The Cavaliers held their nerve from the spot in a match that could have gone either way, earning a hard-fought place in the semifinals.
Fourth-seeded Padua rounded out the semifinal field with a commanding 3-0 victory over No. 5 Caesar Rodney. The Pandas turned in a complete performance on both ends of the field, keeping a clean sheet while scoring three times to punch their ticket to the next round.
With the quarterfinals complete, the semifinals are now set for Wednesday, June 3. Appoquinimink will face Padua in a matchup featuring two of the state’s most successful programs, while Odessa will take on Middletown in what promises to be a highly competitive battle between two championship contenders.
