Girls Class A, Region 2:
Lakeland Christian (26-2-1) 3, Maitland Orangewood Christian (16-5-2)

Despite being outshot 13-11, the Lakeland Christian girls held on to beat Orangewood Christian 3-2 in the Class A, Region 3 final and earn their first trip to the state final four.

In fall soccer, the Lakeland Christian boys team has been a dynasty, winning five state championships. In fact, Friday's win brings some measure of vindication for Dean Johnson, who also coaches the boys team. Orangewood came back to defeat Lakeland Christian 2-1 in overtime in this year's fall soccer championship.

Lakeland advanced to the second round after Tampa Catholic had to forfeit for using an ineligible player. Then, it beat Father Lopez 1-0 to reach the regional final. Orangewood had beaten All Saints Academy 5-0 and Berkeley Prep 4-2 to advance.

Lakeland Christian went up 1-0 in the 7th minute when Amber Gifford hit a left footed shot from about 25 yards out. Tish Hyder answered for Orangewood six minutes later on a point blank shot. Gifford scored again in the second half when she settled a direct kick aboutthree yards from the near post and drove it into the back of the net.

Before the Vikings could shuffle into a defensive posture, they committed a foul at the top of the box, and Hyder drove a bending ball over the wall and into the goal.  With three minutes remaining, Lakeland got a free kick in the corner. Heidi Kearns hit a shot to the near post which the Orangewood keeper mishandled, and it dropped into the goal.

-- Special to Tampa Bay High School Soccer