ACE defeats East Laurens 4-0 in heated region rematch to advance to Final Four

The first time ACE and East Laurens met, it was a low-scoring slugfest.

That was back in early April, when the Gryphons held on to nip host East Laurens in a GHSA Region 2-A Division I battle.

The rematch was that and more, for a while, and bigger.

Sophomore Bayleigh Loosier scored twice and ACE’s defense was on point in a 4-0 win Monday night over East Laurens in a state quarterfinal battle at Perkins Field.

ACE improved to 18-3 while East Laurens’ season ended at 14-4. The Gryphons will have another home game in the Final Four on Thursday against No. 6 Model.

“We knew that East Laurens was fast and physical,” ACE head coach Robby Jones said. “We had to make up for that with skill and teamwork and tactics. They just jelled as a group and kept fighting and just played really gritty.

“We were able to find the net more in the second half.”

The bad news for East Laurens was how similar the rematch was to the 2-1 home loss on April 3.

“It was very similar,” said Falcons head coach Chris Robinson, comparing Monday’s game to the first meeting. “We sit in a low block trying to keep playing for PKs, and we just gave up that first corner. We made a decision at the half we were going to play them straight up.   

“They’re just better.”

Now the Gryphons get to host a semifinal for the first time, coming on Thursday when Model — a 2-0 winner over Thomasville — visits.

“We’ve been to the Final Four,” Jones said. “We’ve never hosted it. We’re excited.”

ACE had a possession edge in the first half and got off eight shots, four on goal. East Laurens’ Deanna Lowther turned away three shots.

The Gryphons had a few shots sail over the net. Then there were spells where neither team put the keepers on their toes, including one stretch where they just kicked it back and forth, one kick at a time, for about a minute, with no advantages gained.

The Falcons couldn’t muster much of a threat offensively because they were battling so hard on defense. But Jones wanted even more pressure from the ACE offense.

“I challenged them to give up a good shot for a great shot, because that goalie is going to save every good shot,” Jones said. “What can we do to put her off balance? Can we go far post? Can we try to set up a teammate a little bit more?

“Maybe just think about one extra pass.”

Lily Bivins’ corner kick sailed toward bodies, and in came Edy Powell from outside the box. The ball found her right foot, and Powell softly got it to sail just over Lowther’s hands with 31 seconds left in the half.

“We scored on a corner kick against them at their place,” Jones said. “Same girl, with her head, from about the same spot. This one, she just put on the inside of her boot and just hit it far post. A very good touch.”

The Gryphons appeared set for another goal in similar fashion 12 minutes into the second half after a corner kick landed in front of the net, inspiring a flurry of action from both teams, only for a shot to sail high again, a lost opportunity for a little cushion.

Not for long.

A corner kick was defended, but East Laurens couldn’t get it out. A Gryphon and Falcon battled for possession, and Loosier stood ready when the ball squirted to her. She took a step for better position before zipping it past Lowther for another goal.

Now, ACE led 2-0 at the 54:40 mark of the match, putting that much more pressure on East Laurens. The Falcons’ three losses were to Toombs County 4-1, Trinity Christian 2-1 and ACE 2-1, each in a different month.

“Scoring,” Robinson said of the Falcons’ prime issue in the losses. “We couldn’t be consistent scoring. I just feel like their first touch was better than ours. They’re as athletic as we are, and usually we’re more athletic than other teams.

“If they get the great first touch in, they’re more athletic.”

The inevitability of that one-loss-per-month trend continuing came about 10 minutes later when Loosier sent it to the left side of the net, and Lowther lost just enough footing to miss it.

A 3-0 lead with 15:52 left, considering the Falcons still hadn’t managed a solid shot on goal, was unofficially insurmountable. Some icing was slathered on with Bivins’ goal with 3:25 left.

Both teams are win-a-few-games playoff programs historically, with East Laurens playing in a 2017 final and 2018 semifinal. The Falcons lose seven seniors, whose careers ended against a team Robinson is mighty impressed with.“I think they could win state,” said Robinson, who racked up his 250^th career win in late April. “They’re that good.”