Goalkeeper Blair Currie steadied herself on the goal line, fully aware what was at stake. Her team held a two-goal advantage, but what was about to transpire could potentially have match-changing repercussions.

Athenians SC had dominated in every imaginable fashion in its United Women’s Soccer season opener vs. rival FC Austin Elite, but time and circumstance dictated there was still plenty of time left to alter the course. The visitors had just earned a penalty kick. If they converted, a comfortable lead would be sliced in half, and things could turn interesting, if not tenuous, over the final 12 minutes.

Currie instead removed any drama, snagging Skye Gunn’s PK attempt. The Athenians added an insurance goal moments later to cement a convincing 3-0 win Saturday at the Soccer Central Complex.

“I didn’t want to let down the girls that had put in a really big shift for the whole 90 minutes,” said Currie, who hails from New Zealand and played at Seton Hall. “We definitely want to come out as a strong team, we want people to feel that we are a strong team, we want teams to respect us.”

Athenians SC, suffice to say, accomplished its goals. With relentless pressure on offense, and a defense and midfielder that yielded little ground, the local club wore down FC Austin Elite.

“We have to be intelligent for the game, read the space, read what the other team was doing, and do the best,” Athenians SC coach Fabio Melo de Alcantara said. “I said to the group, that the best way to respect Austin Elite was score, score and score.”

In the opening 45 minutes, Athenians SC heeded its coach’s advice. After some early near-misses, New Braunfels graduate Brooke Hanson struck with the game-winner. Paityn Bretzer started the scoring sequence with a corner kick that defender Jamie Erickson headed. Erickson’s attempt was partially blocked and the carom fell to Hanson, who slotted a shot past two FC Austin Elite defenders for a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute.

“We came out and we were all pumped up, and then we had a lot of opportunities,” said Hanson, who played at the University of the Incarnate Word. “I was like, ‘I’ve got to get it in early,’ because we didn’t want to fight the whole game. We got it in, and then I felt like that just picked up the game and we just kept on scoring.”

Five minutes later, the Athenians increased their margin to 2-0. Capitalizing on a turnover by Austin Elite near the center circle, Athenians SC used a quick counterattack and the ball made its way to Hanson, who found forward Amanda Smith inside the penalty area. Smith easily converted.

“I feel like this team, we just all connect really well,” Hanson said. “We just figure out how we all play, and the chemistry this game has looked way better than it was. It was good. It was good we were on the same page.”

With a two-goal lead, and four new players who came on at halftime, Athenians SC kept the pressure on. Only the play of Austin Elite goalkeeper Elizabeth Harrington, who in a matter of seconds denied certain goals by Smith and Ashley Newland on the same play, kept the score line from being more lopsided.

Harrington’s play kept Austin Elite in contention, and it appeared it might pay dividends when Riley Scarborough was taken down by Athenians SC forward Eden Bretzer inside the penalty area. Gunn stepped up to take the penalty, but Currie made a diving save at the right post.

Five minutes later, former Boerne Champion standout Allison Fahey tapped in a pass from Channing Borden to complete the scoring. Defender Ashley Cathro started the sequence with a throw-in that Smith headed to Borden, who took a touch and found Fahey in front of goal.

“We have been building this team step by step, and since the first meeting we had we started saying the ideal for them technically, physically was to make the group connected,” Melo de Alcantara said. “We can see this first step worked very well.”

terrence@terrencesports.com
Twitter: @sa_terrence1