Avon earns a rematch with defending Class L champion Guilford

Avon defender Amanda Holtzman (2) keeps the ball away from E.O. Smith’s Carly Weston (5) in Friday’s Class L tournament win at Fisher Meadows.

AVON, Nov. 7 – The only team to score on the Avon High girls soccer team this season has been Suffield. The NCCC co-champions scored twice against Avon in a 2-2 overtime tie in October and another two goals in a non-league contest a little over a week ago. 

That didn’t change Friday afternoon as the Falcons shutout E.O. Smith-Storrs, 4-0 in a Class L second round game at Fisher Meadows. 

Taylor Lisevick, Hannah Davey, Kaleigh Sherman and Michaela Marcus scored for the Falcons (14-1-2), who will host defending Class L champion Guilford (17-3) on Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Class L quarterfinals at Fisher Meadows. 

“I knew we would have an advantage with our speed and the way we can possess the ball,” Avon coach Jim Murray said. 

Lisevick set the tone early, scoring her fifth goal of the season just 10 minutes into the game. “Just getting those first goals is important,” Murray said. Davey gave the Falcons a 2-0 lead, scoring her 13th goal of the season with 7:05 remaining in the first half. Sherman scored three minutes later for a 3-0 advantage. 

Avon’s goalie duo of Emma Carlone and Lydia Cuddeback earned their 15th shutout of the season in net. 

The victory sets up a rematch of a quarterfinal game a year ago that Indians won, 3-1. Then, Guilford was the No. 4 seed and hosted the game. “Last year, we went down there and there had a good side. This year, the table is turned. We’re the No. 4 seed and we’re hosting the game.” 

Murray was thankful that the Falcons were able to build a lead to enable him to rest some of his starting players with the prospect of back-to-back games. The E.O. Smith contest was postponed on Wednesday due to rain. 

Murray, now in his 28th season, can earn his 400th career victory if Avon prevails. Murray, the 2009 national coach of the year, has a career record of 399-103-40. “The only thing I am worried about is beating Guilford,” he said. “The main thing is that it isn’t about me. It’s about this team and what we can do together as a team.” 

The Collinsville Press profiled Murray in 2010 after he received the 2009 national coach of the year award.

Avon 4, E.O. Smith 0
At Avon
E.O. Smith (8-8-1)      0  0  — 0
Avon (14-1-2)             3  1  — 4
Goals: Taylor Lisevick (A), Hannah Davey (A), Kaleigh Sherman (A), Michaela Marcus (A); Saves: Emma Carlone and Lydia Cuddleback (A) 5 combined; Nicole Johnson (E) 8; Corner kicks: Avon, 3-1