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Preps

Bulls win on penalty kick

4A-5 GIRLS: Nydia Davila scores winner late in second half for Bloomingdale.

By BRANDON WRIGHT
© St. Petersburg Times
published February 8, 2003

RIVERVIEW -- Nydia Davila scored on a penalty kick late in regulation to give Bloomingdale a 2-1 win over Gaither and its second straight district crown.

"(Davila) doesn't always take the penalty kicks for us, but she hit a real solid one the other night (against Riverview) in the overtime," coach Sue Peet said. "It's usually between her and (Ashley Quaid) and I let them decide, and whoever wants it takes it."

As Bloomingdale's Emily Mills dribbled in toward the left side of the penalty box with four minutes left and the score tied at 1, she got tangled up with Lindsey McConnell and both players fell. The referee awarded a penalty kick to Bloomingdale.

While Gaither coach Dianne Sumner didn't question the call, she was disappointed by the timing.

"I can't believe that a district game would come down to a penalty kick in the last five minutes," Sumner said.

Davila seized the opportunity, beating goalkeeper Kaley Brown with a line drive to the right side.

"I wasn't nervous at all," Davila said. "I knew it was going in."

Quaid gave the Bulls a 1-0 lead in the 27th minute with help from, who else, Davila. Set up about 35 yards from goal, Davila lofted a free kick into the crowded 6-yard box. Quaid gained control, then turned and buried the shot past Brown. Davila and Quaid teamed for a similar goal in the Bulls' 2-1 semifinal win against Riverview on Wednesday.

"She's tremendous (on free kicks)," Peet said of Davila. "She's got a very good, strong, powerful leg. It's a tool we have to use."

While the first half was even, with both teams taking three shots and sharing possession, Gaither was the aggressor in the second. The Cowboys had three corners in the first five minutes of the half, but could not score.

"We dodged a bullet a lot of times," Peet said.

The Cowboys finally broke through in the 71st minute when a long volley from Kasey Kubly found the foot of a streaking Nataly Arcila, who beat Megan Robey for the equalizer.

Both teams advance to next week's regional play, with Bloomingdale at home against Manatee on Tuesday and Gaither traveling to play Sarasota.

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