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Eastside girls soccer flys by Calhoun on way to second round of Class AAAAA playoffs
EHS Girls Soccer advances
The Eastside Lady Eagles gather for a team photo following their 6-1 victory over Calhoun, which punched their ticket to the Sweet Sixteen of the Class AAAAA playoffs. - photo by Special Photo

CALHOUN, Ga. — The Eastside Lady Eagles will return from an over 200-mile road trip to Calhoun with their second round playoff ticket secured. Eastside downed the Lady Yellow Jackets 6-1 Tuesday night in the first round of the Class AAAAA playoffs. 

Following the game, head coach Joel Singleton highlighted a particular group he was most happy for. 

“I'm very happy to get this win for the senior class,” Singleton said. “Their freshman year was ruined by COVID and then we just could not get a win the last two years in round one. When you reach the playoffs everyone is good."

After falling down 1-0 within the first minute of action, the Lady Eagles quickly gained their footing. They scored six straight goals to earn the win. 

Abigail Morgan scored Eastside’s initial goal with 25:48 left in the first half, a shot that followed a misfire from Lauren Davis. The Lady Eagles took the lead when Nelia Dailey netted a goal at the 19:18 mark. 

Dailey added to the lead 13 minutes later and, at halftime, Eastside led 3-1. 

Twenty-seven seconds into the second half, Joanna Funes increased the lead with a score. 

Morgan scored her second goal of the match off an assist from Davis to push the score 5-1 with 36:24 remaining. Sophia Leal put the finishing touches on the match with her goal with only 1:47 left to give the Lady Eagles their five-goal playoff victory. 

Singleton recognized how his team’s two scores early in the second half played a pivotal role in the final outcome. 

"I'm so proud of the team today,” Singleton said. “We gave up a goal in the first half minute with some jitters, it appeared. Once we settled in, we controlled the majority of the match. 

“Once we went up 3-1, I felt we were going to be fine. Scoring the two quick goals to start the second half was big for us to really put Calhoun down."

This year’s team is Singleton’s eighth one to qualify for the postseason in his 14 years at the helm. By advancing to the second round, the 2023 Lady Eagles join the 2012, 2018 and 2019 squads to reach the Sweet Sixteen. 

As a result of their advancement, the Lady Eagles will now face the Cambridge Lady Bears in the Sweet Sixteen. Cambridge, the No. 1 seed out of Region 6-AAAAA, defeated Chapel Hill Tuesday night, too, 8-0. 

Eastside will hit the road on April 17 for this match, too. The time of the match is to be determined.

Sports editor Phillip B. Hubbard and Mike Abernathy contributed to this report.