GAC Girls' Soccer Reaches State Final

Third times a charm. After being denied in two successive semifinals, the Greater Atlanta Christian girls soccer team reached the Class AA final with a deserved 3-1 home win over Westminster on Tuesday night.

The visitors claimed a first-minute lead but were soon on level terms through Rachel Garcia, who added two more for the Spartans in a dominant second half to seal a first-ever trip to the final, which will also feature Lovett or Blessed Trinity.

“This is the hump that we needed to get over,” said GAC coach Troy Bendickson, who was pleased at finally reaching the final. “What I said before the game was ‘no more time for words. Words are over.’”

Layne Kelly gave Westminster a dream start with a goal just seconds after kickoff. Spartans goalkeeper Mckenzie Nelson spilled a long-distance shot, and Kelly was on hand to apply the tight-angled rebound.

The hosts didn’t appear to be knocked by the setback and duly equalized eight minutes later. Lauren Bryan was pivotal in the move, sending a well-weighted through-ball for Rachel Garcia, who calmly finished with a shot into the bottom corner.

GAC nearly followed up with another goal less than a minute later when Westminter’s defense struggled to clear the danger following a corner.

However, the visitors’ backline regained its composure for the rest of the half, as the Spartans tried to build on superior possession. And they were nearly rewarded with the lead in the 35th minute, when Anna Douglas clipped the crossbar with a  40-yard free kick.

Westminster remained under pressure early in the second half, with Chelsea Gandy- Cromer showing an eye for goal with a well-taken effort that spun just wide of the target.

The dominance finally paid off for the Spartans in the 55th minute. Kelsey Fervier sent an inch-perfect cross into the Westminster penalty area, where Garcia’s cushioned header left the advancing goalkeeper stranded.

Garcia then added a third took the Spartans close to the final five minutes later.  A defensive mix up between the goalkeeper and defender ended with the sophomore being gifted the ball for a simple tap-in into an open goal.

“She was incredible, always moving,” Bendickson said about Garcia’s performance, while praising the entire team. “They didn’t fold after that first goal. It was just pressure, pressure, pressure.” 

Westminster finishes the season with a 13-7-1 record.