Dolphins take down Pee Dee Academy 10-0 in first round playoff action

The Hilton Head Prep girls soccer team advanced to the second round of the 2A state playoffs after a remarkable 10-0 win against Pee Dee Academy.

Striker Charlotte Covington played with a ton of emotion and wanted to send a message to other teams that this is their year.

“We ended up losing last year, so this would mean a lot to myself and my teammates to get the state championship game this year,” said Covington.

The junior had a double hat trick, with five of those goals coming in the first half.

“That’s just how she plays,” said head coach Risa McMillan. “She plays so well from start to finish.”

Kierstin Clark added two goals and Cori Leonard and Catherine Sheehan each added one. Goalkeeper Alexis Voulgaropoulos was lonely most of the night, but McMillan considers it a job well done for how her team played defensively.

“We definitely stress playing hard defensively in practice, and they did a great job of that today,” said McMillan.

The Dolphins will return to action Thursday in a pivotal matchup against Christian Academy. After losing in overtime a year ago, Covington hopes the first round win will give the team the momentum they need to get past the Saints.

“This game helped us gain a lot of confidence for the game we have Thursday,” said Covington.

Hilton Head is the No. 1 seed, and McMillan hopes playing at home will work to their advantage.

“The SCISA has a rule that says if you are more than 180 miles from your opponent you have to play at a neutral site,” said McMillan. “Last year we played at Beaufort Academy, but this time around we’ll be at home and will be in front of our fans. I am excited.”

This story was originally published May 9, 2017 at 7:31 PM with the headline "Dolphins take down Pee Dee Academy 10-0 in first round playoff action."