2024 NCHSAA 4A Girls Soccer Fourth Round Previews
***Follow @CoastalPreps on X for updates throughout the matches***
No. 5 Cardinal Gibbons (17-3-2) at No. 1 Ashley (21-0-2), Thursday at 6 p.m.
How they got here
First round
No. 1 Ashley 9, No. 32 Corinth Holders 0
No. 5 Cardinal Gibbons 6, No. 28 Cleveland 1
Second round
No. 1 Ashley 6, No. 17 Leesville Road 0
No. 5 Cardinal Gibbons 1, No. 12 Apex 0
Third round
No. 1 Ashley 5, No. 24 Middle Creek 0
No. 5 Cardinal Gibbons 1, No. 4 Holly Springs 0
No. 15 Heritage (14-5-4) at No. 11 Hoggard (19-3-2), Thursday at 6 p.m.
How they got here
First round
No. 11 Hoggard 12, No. 23 Jordan 3
No. 15 Heritage 1, No. 18 Topsail 0 (OT)
Second round
No. 11 Hoggard 2, No. 6 D.H. Conley 1 (OT)
No. 15 Heritage 1, No. 2 Millbrook 0
Third round
No. 11 Hoggard 3, No. 3 Chapel Hill 1
No. 15 Heritage 3, No. 26 Enloe 2
A look at the matchups
The final four teams are no strangers to success. Each program has played in a state championship match, but only Cardinal Gibbons (2A in 2007, 3A in 2013 and 4A in 2022) and Heritage (4A in 2019) have hoisted the trophy.
Ashley would love to get back to the title match after coming up short in their first trip a season ago. The Screaming Eagles are led by a superstar-filled junior class that includes Division I commits Karina and Kiley Peat (Louisville) and Savannah Manset (Loyola). That trio have combined to score 17 of the team’s 20 postseason goals.
Classmate Morgan Tucker is one of the most talented goalkeepers in the state. In front of her is a solid defense that features Temple signee Maggie Roepke, Zoey Finelli, Meryn Harris, Kaitlyn Marcinowski and Sarah Brannin.
Ashley’s Morgan Tucker. [Tim Hower/Coastal Preps]
Cardinal Gibbons got off to a 1-3-1 start, but haven’t been beaten since March 13. After cruising past Cleveland in the opening round, the Crusaders earned back-to-back 1-0 wins.
Those goals came from junior Hailey Cuomo and sophomore Sophia Juhasz, who are tied for the team lead with 10. Cardinals Gibbons has a total of 72 goals from 19 different players.
Belmont Abbey signee Ryleigh Dougherty has been strong in goal, especially in the playoffs.
Ashley won the last meeting between the teams by a score of 2-1 at The Brittany Showcase in Wilson in 2022.
Hoggard is back in the fourth round for a remarkable 11th time time since 2010. Nine of those trips have resulted in berths in the East final, but the Vikings are still in search of a state title. The only appearance in the championship game came in 2010, but North Mecklenburg won in penalty kicks.
Memphis commit Ellis Kelly is having a historic season. The junior forward has already set the school record for goals in a season with 56. If she can reach 60, she’ll be just the 25th player in NCHSAA history to do so.
Hoggard’s Ellis Kelly. [Tim Hower/Coastal Preps]
Sophomores Avery Fisher (15 goals and 12 assists) and Brielle Archer (11 goals and 12 assists) are second and third on the team in points.
Heritage pulled off a big upset in the second round by taking down Northern Atlantic Conference foe and second-seeded Millbrook in the fourth meeting of the season. The Huskies were 0-2-1 in the previous matches and had been outscored 8-3.
A strong senior class is led by Division I signees Carly Lashley (Charlotte), Bryanna Parkes (UNC Greensboro) and Selah Jackson (South Dakota State).
