AUSTIN – The Hendrickson High girls soccer team knocked off Canyon Lake 3-2 Monday to earn an area title and advance to the region quarterfinal round of the 4A playoffs.

“This was a tough, hard-fought win,” Hawk coach Frank Hense said.

The Hawks came right at their opponents with fast forwards and nice ball movement, and their attack paved the way for some early chances. Canyon Lake goalie Andrea Jacobs was instrumental in keeping the game scoreless throughout much of the first half. Samantha Nunez and Tyane Ramos passed to one another and set up several shots that were deflected and saved despite being on target. Hendrickson had an apparent goal called back with five minutes left in the first half for an off-sides call and the first half ended in a 0-0 tie.

Hendrickson came out for the second half much the same way they did in the first, peppering the goal with shots. Megan Baker fired a rocket that Jacobs had to catch and keep from going into the upper right corner of the goal a mere minute in.

Nunez wasted no time in shredding the defense as she dribbled in past several defenders to force a break away that she fired past the charging goalie to make it 1-0, Hendrickson.

Canyon Lake would get on the board with a score two minutes later due to a minor break down in the defense. Canyon Lake’s Danielle Carpenter took the pass and ran in on Raeghan Coleman who came out to challenge the shot and barely missed a nice save tying the score at 1-1.

In the 23rd minute junior Julie Saba came charging in for the ball. She was taken out by the keeper and forced to leave the game. Hendrickson responded to losing Saba by scoring a minute later as Asia Williams fed a cross to Ramos who blasted a shot past Jacobs making it 2-1.

With time running out Canyon Lake took advantage of a missed play at the back and were awarded a free kick right at the edge of the box. Carpenter took a short pass and launched a shot into the upper corner of the goal to make it 2-2 in regulation play with less then a minute left.

Hendrickson took the short break to talk and discuss their plan of attack. Bringing the pressure once again they came close to scoring several times in the first of the two 10-minute overtimes. Ramos fed a well placed cross that Nunez wasted no time in putting in the back of the old onion bag making it 3-2, and sending Hendrickson on to the win.

The Hawks will take on the winner of the Canyon-Marble Falls game on Thursday or Friday.