Highlands controlled the pace, capitalized on a pair of breakaway scoring chances, and held on in the final minutes for a 2-1 win over Franklin on Thursday night.
Both teams started slowly as the first 20 minutes served as a feeling-out period. Highlands got the games’ first scoring chance when a shot by Gabby Diaz found its way to the net, but was saved by Franklin keeper Ella Brinson.
Franklin played two keepers in the game and both made their presence felt with several critical saves that kept the Panthers within striking distance.
Highlands got on the board in the 28th minute when Diaz found Caitlin Tingen with a pass through the middle of the Panthers’ defense. Tingen cleared her defender and fired a shot past Brinson.
The Highlanders carried the lead through the halftime break as Franklin failed to get any sustained offensive momentum. The visitors made the score 2-0 in the early moments of the second half when Abby Doerter connected on a long pass over the top of the defense that landed on the foot of Aislynn Wyatt-Luck.
Wyatt-Luck found herself all alone behind the defense and scored on a perfectly placed shot past Franklin’s second half keeper Carramia Anthony-Ramos.
Trailing 2-0, Franklin upped the urgency on the offensive end and tallied two excellent scoring chances in the 59th and 60th minutes, but both shots were saved by Highlands’ keeper Olivia Cole.
The Panthers broke through in the 70th minute when Alauna Kiser found a loose ball inside the 18-yard box off a corner kick and snuck a shot by Cole.
Highlands spent the last 10 minutes of the game focusing on defense and consistently played the ball harmlessly away from the net.
Highlands (2-1 overall) will be back in action on Friday at Pisgah High School in Canton. The Highlanders next home game will be March 27 against Cherokee.