Roye’s late goal lifts Marion to 5th straight regional title


Darren Kinnard
Section618.com

HARRISBURG — The Marion Wildcats won their fifth straight girls soccer regional title, beating Carbondale 2-1 on senior Malia Roye’s goal with 37 seconds to play.

Roye actually was about to be subbed out late after rolling her ankle and asking to come out of the game. Then her teammates won a ball near midfield, and Haylee Lambert sent a pass her way. Roye saw the opportunity, summoned one final run and made it count, sending a blistering right-footed laser that just got past Carbondale keeper Averie Sumerlin, into the upper right hand corner of the net for the game winner.

Just 30 seconds earlier, Summerlin made a diving save on the opposite side to rob Morgan Isaacs of a potential game winner.

Marion improves to 19-5-1 and advances to its own sectional. The Lady Wildcats will face Triad Tuesday in the semifinals. Waterloo will take on Mattoon in the other semi. Carbondale finishes 15-8.