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Alter girls soccer strikes late, advances to state semis

No. 4 Knights will face Columbus St. Francis DeSales on Wednesday.

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By Kyle Nagel, Staff Writer 7:56 PM Saturday, November 5, 2011

BELLBROOK — The message just minutes before to Alter High School forward Avalee Hagerty had been about space. Specifically, that anything is enough.

“We made sure to point out to her, ‘If you get open, even if it’s for a split second, just shoot it,’ ” said Alter girls soccer coach Javier Iriart.

Hagerty, Alter’s leading scorer, listened. The sophomore collected a ball late in the second overtime, spun and fired from 20 yards for the winning goal in a 2-1 Alter defeat of Indian Hill in a Division II regional final on Saturday at Bellbrook High School.

The goal, which came 4:34 before the game would have advanced to penalty kicks, was Hagerty’s 12th of the season and gave the Knights their first regional championship since 2001. Alter (15-3-4), ranked No. 4 in the state, will face Columbus St. Francis DeSales in a state semifinal at 7 p.m. Wednesday at a site to be determined.

In scoring the game-winner, Hagerty epitomized the quick-changing speed of soccer. Spaces open and close quickly.

“I turned, saw an open spot in the net and ripped it,” she said.

Alter led 1-0 in the first half on the 10th goal of the season from Kara Ruffolo, and Indian Hill (19-2) tied it in the second half on a direct kick score from junior Maddie Slattery. The teams were scoreless through the first 15-minute overtime as Indian Hill was the more regular attacker, but the Knights closed with Hagerty’s goal.

The regional title is Alter’s fifth in school history, and the Knights have been state runners-up twice (1998, 2001) without a title. They’re getting used to close games.

“It helps that the last game went to overtime as well, so having that experience for a pretty inexperienced group is good for us,” Iriart said. “I think it’s helping them mature.”

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7389 or knagel@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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