MACON – Alex Lear scored two second-half goals off assists from Megan Hudgens to lead top-ranked Fellowship Christian to a 3-0 victory over Atlanta International in the Class A girls soccer championship game Thursday at Mercer University’s Five Star Stadium.
The victory gave Fellowship Christian (17-1) its first GHSA title in girls soccer. The Paladins, who lost to Hebron Christian in the 2015 championship game, won its final 17 games this season after losing to Class AA semifinalist Pace Academy in the opener.
Lear gave Fellowship Christian a 1-0 lead with 29 minutes remaining when she took a pass from Hudgens right in front of the goal on a two-on-one break and scored from about 7 yards away. The two players combined for a similar goal with about seven minutes left, with Hudgens passing to a wide-open Lear for an easy shot in front of the goal.
Junior Mackenzie Gibbs added a goal with seconds remaining for the final margin.
Fellowship Christian coach Tim Rice credited perseverance as the key to his team bringing home its first title.
“We’ve had four injuries throughout the year, and we strive to continue to develop players,” he said. “We practice our JV and our varsity teams together, and in case something happens like those injuries we have players ready to step in until we can get them healthy again. We finally peaked at the right time toward the end of the season, started playing our best soccer and finally had everybody healthy.”
Fellowship Christian had the majority of the scoring chances in the first half, particularly Rachel Haigwood and Hudgens. One of Haigwood’s shots went into the goal, but she was called for a hand ball as she battled Atlanta International goalkeeper Lena Nedal for control. Two other shots went just wide to the left.
Hudgens had two open shots later in the half, but Nedal made nice saves on both.
Atlanta International (11-8-1) was active offensively in the second half, but the Eagles’ limited scoring chances were nothing that Fellowship goalkeeper Shannon Milhollin couldn’t handle. And Lear’s first goal turned out to be too much to overcome.
