Published: Apr 26, 2011 04:19 PM
Modified: Apr 26, 2011 04:19 PM
RALEIGH - When Cardinal Gibbons' girls soccer team gets a corner kick, midfielder Morgan Reid sprints to end of the field.
Reid is the set piece for the No. 1-ranked Crusaders. Her goal is often to to find her tallest teammate: midfielder Caitlin Donovan.
At 5 feet 9 inches tall, Donovan is key for any corner kick. And against eighth-ranked Chapel Hill on Wednesday, she was easy to spot for Reid.
Donovan turned two corner kicks into two goals as the Crusaders were dominant in a 4-1 victory.
The first goal for Donovan came in the 11th minute when she used her head to redirect the ball past Chapel Hill goalkeeper Elani Manfield.
"We have a plan on the corners because we look for Caitlin," said Reid, who recorded both assists. "I was looking for her the whole time because she just knows how to put the ball in."
The pair executed a similar play in the 45th minute, this time with Donovan putting the ball into the net through multiple defenders.
"Morgan puts in a great ball as well," coach Michele Miller said. "It was perfectly placed and that is something that we work on."
Cardinal Gibbons (12-0-1, 7-0-0 Carolina 3-A) was also impressive in possessing the ball, which allowed the Crusaders to get forward early. It didn't take long for the Crusaders to maneuver deep into Chapel Hill territory.
In the 15th minute, Reid made a run into the penalty box from the left side of the field. With midfielder Christina Gibbons attracting defenders with the ball, she was able to placed a soft pass to a wide-open Reid for the second goal of the match.
"We have really developed our play by getting everyone involved in trying to put the ball in the net," Donovan said.
Miller said she was proud of how the Crusaders continued to play well with a lead in the second half. Forward Kiki Davis used her speed in the 49th minute to get past two Tigers before sending a shot into the net.
Chapel Hill (8-4-3, 4-2-0) scored its goal in the 54th minute on a free kick from forward Rebecca Malizia.