The 2016 girls’ soccer playoffs have provided no shortage of drama for WJ. After their 2-0 win over BCC High School, the intensity increased. WJ beat Churchill High School 1-0 on Friday November, 4. The goal, scored by Cammie Murtha, set up by Isabel Jabara, came on a corner kick within the last four minutes of the game.

“I had a feeling it would be a goal,” Jabara said.

Only a few days later, on Wednesday, November 9, they prepared to face Wootton High School for the regional championship. WJ was the number one seed, so they were the home team even though the game wasn’t held at WJ. It felt like a home game for Wootton, because the game was at Wootton.

Initially the game seemed like it would be an easy win for the Wildcats. They quickly went up 3-1. Then it was 3-2, then 3-3, and all of a sudden WJ found themselves down 4-3 late in the second half. Then, with 15 minutes remaining in the game, CJ Maloney tied the game at 4 when the ball bounced off the goal post onto her foot and into the goal. The game looked like it would be going into overtime, but with less than a minute left Murtha had the ball and was charging down the field towards the goal with the intent to send Wootton home with one strike.

She was fouled inside the penalty box, and was awarded a penalty kick. Nerves instantly set in.

“Sheridan [O’Kelly] came up to me and was like ‘Cammie…it goes the same place every time, you got it,’” Murtha said.

Murtha relaxed, and as she stepped up to take the kick the nerves went away.

“I got this,” Murtha thought to herself.

While she was relaxed, her coach was not.

“I was not watching,” coach Liz Robinson said.

The ball flew to the back of the net, giving WJ a 5-4 lead. They would hold on to win by that score.

They will move on to face North Point High School in the state semifinals at 2:30 on Saturday, November 12. WJ will be without it’s starting goalkeeper, Ally Holden, due to a suspension from a red card she received in the game against Wootton. Despite this, they still are incredibly confident and still have one goal in mind.

“States or bust,” Murtha said.