NORTHEAST GLENDALE — A second consecutive loss by the Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy girls’ soccer team appeared all but certain.
The Tologs controlled the flow of play, but did everything but score. That changed dramatically with a perfect shot as time wound down.
Bianca Garoian scored with 15 seconds left to give Flintridge Sacred Heart a 1-1 tie against Monrovia in a nonleague match at the Glendale Sports Complex on Wednesday afternoon.
The goal shattered the frustration that had been pent up inside the Tologs (1-1-1) after launching nine shots on goal at Monrovia goalkeeper Sarah Wallick.
Flintridge Sacred Heart midfielder Lauren Torres made a short pass to midfielder Pip Harragin, who tipped the ball to Garoian. Garoian then fired a low shot past Wallick to close out the match.
It was Garoian’s first goal of the season, one that couldn’t have come at a more opportune time for Flintridge Sacred Heart.
“There was a lot of adrenaline in the final minute for the team and I,” said Garoian, a senior midfielder/forward. “We just kept pounding and pounding, and we were waiting for a shot to go in.
“Pip gave me a great ball. Once the ball left my foot, I knew it would go in.”
Flintridge Sacred Heart co-Coach Frank Pace said the Tologs, who opened their season with a win against neighborhood rival Flintridge Prep before losing to powerful Saugus, had little time to spare.
“They just worked hard at it and didn’t get discouraged after having plenty of reasons to,” said Pace, whose team qualified for the CIF Southern Section Division I postseason last year after taking second in the Mission League. “It took a perfect shot after a fine individual effort by Torres to get the ball to Pip and back to Bianca.
“We had to score on a perfect shot. We are defining ourselves right now, but we played hard for 80 minutes.”
Flintridge Sacred Heart finished with 14 shots, though most of it’s best scoring opportunities came early. Freshman midfielder/forward Breeana Koemans had her 15-yard shot stopped by Wallick in the fourth minute before freshman forward Katie Johnson lifted a shot just over the crossbar about two minutes later.
Monrovia (1-0-3) took a 1-0 lead in the 12th minute. Senior midfielder Rachel Holmes scored on a direct kick that eluded Flintridge Sacred Heart starting sophomore goalkeeper Dominique Oro.
The Tologs spent most of the first half and all of the second half trying to knot the match, but Wallick turned aside several shots.
