In comeback for the ages, Haslett girls soccer rallies from 4 goals down to reach state semifinals

FENTON – Ireland Jacob’s goal with 9.4 seconds left in the first half seemed pretty innocuous at the time.

South Lyon East had run roughshod over Haslett in the first 40 minutes, getting goals on two corners and a penalty kick as part of a 4-0 lead.

So it was easy to believe at the time that the senior’s goal was nothing more than a consolation prize in Thursday’s Division 2 regional title game at Fenton High School.

Instead, it was the instigator that paved the way for a comeback that nobody associated with Haslett soccer will forget for a long time.

The seventh-ranked Vikings scored three times in the second half to tie it at 4-4 and again late in overtime to tie it at 5 to send the game to penalty kicks. And it was, perhaps, fitting that Jacob scored the final goal in the sixth round of penalties to give Haslett a 6-5 win, the regional title and a trip to the state semifinals.

“It’s an unexplainable feeling,” Jacob said. “I’m so proud of the whole team. We put 100% effort into it and I cannot be prouder of us and the comeback that we did. It was crazy and it was incredible.

“I was just trying to hype the team up and make sure that we can put in 100% effort the rest of the game.”

What did Haslett do to turn the game around in the second half?

Sometimes it’s as simple as just getting the ball to your best attacking players. And the Vikings did that time and time again in the second half, finding Audrey Archambault and Kaema Amachree up the middle, and Maddie Fant and Jacob on the wings. Those four players  were involved in all four Haslett goals after halftime.

But more specifically, coach Dave Littleton stressed that the players needed maximum effort in the second half, especially since they wouldn’t play again until Wednesday if they won.

On the technical side, South Lyon East was marking Amachree with two or more players every time she touched the ball. So the aim was to get the ball out wide more to Fant and Jacob, have the midfielders pinch in more and get more numbers forward.

It worked.

“That was a really bad first 20 minutes, but then we settled down,” Littleton said. “We knew that we could get the ball wide, get it to Kaema and she could turn and get a quick shot. I knew that we had it in us that we could battle back. We’ve scored four goals quickly before. The girls dug deep and got those goals.”

Fant got things rolling in the 49th minute, receiving a square ball at the left post from Amachree to make it 4-2.

In the 63rd minute, the Vikings (17-1-1) drew within one as an errant goal kick went right to Amachree about 25 yards out, who then dribbled past a defender and fired past the keeper.

The equalizer came just a minute later, as Fant smashed home a rebound off an Archambault shot from distance to tie the game 4-4.

“We had to change our mindset,” Fant said. “We were a little slow to the ball at first and weren’t connecting. So we were talking more and connecting more.

“I knew if we kept our heads up, we could push through and have the result we did.”

Despite Haslett being on the front foot most of the second half, South Lyon East (16-4) struck first in overtime, scoring three minutes in on a goal by Kate Mazur.

But as she’s done all season, Fant used her speed on the wing to frustrate opponents and scored the equalizer again with five minutes to go in overtime. Fant got to the end of a well-placed Archambault through ball and fired far post to make it 5-5.

“It was a great ball by (Audrey) into the open space and I just had to take one tap into the right corner,” Fant said. “I felt like I had another boost in me and put it all on the field.”

In the shootout, both teams' first attempts were saved but they made their next four, with Fant, Carly Doran, Amachree and Archambault all making their PKs.

And after the Cougars missed their first PK in sudden death, it was Jacob’s time to be the hero. She didn’t miss, going left to beat the keeper.

“My coach told me I was going to take the sixth penalty, and my heart just kind of sank,” Jacob said. “I was like, ‘I cannot mess this up and I had to make sure.’ When I stepped up to the penalty (spot), … I just focused in and knew if I didn’t make this, there was a chance they could win the game.”

Haslett will play second-ranked Bloomfield Hills Marian in the state semifinals at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Tom Holzer Field in Northville. Marian has won the past four D2 state titles and owns nine titles overall.

“We’re going to enjoy this for the weekend, come back to it on Monday and go back at it,” Littleton said.

Contact digital sports reporter Phil Friend at 517-377-1220 or pfriend@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @Phil_Friend.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Haslett girls soccer wins D2 regional title over South Lyon East