Catonsville, MD – The #3 ranked Howard CC Dragons were able to overcome one of their toughest tests of the season as they powered past the #9 ranked Cape Fear Sea Devils 4-2. The victory in the Mid-Atlantic district semifinals brings the Dragons one win away from clinching a spot in the national tournament.

The Dragons and Sea Devils are familiar foes as the two sides started their respective seasons against each other for four straight seasons from 2014-2018, in which the Sea Devils won three out of the four matches with Howard scoring just a single goal in that stretch.

Things got out to a great start for Howard as Lillian Scott (Catonsville, MD/Catonsville) was taken down in the box just six minutes into the game which allowed Madalyn Nichols (Mt. Airy, MD/Glenelg) to score in the bottom left corner of the net from the penalty spot.

Howard took a 1-0 lead into the halftime break, but doubled that lead in the 53^rd minute as Tahlia Stangherlin (Hanover, MD/Pallotti) took control of the ball in the middle of the field and played a fantastic through ball to Nichols who dribbled down the field and scored on the fast break. Cape Fear would strike back almost immediately for their first goal of the game to halve the Dragons lead.

It would take less than a minute for the Dragons to get that one back as Tessa Cinotti (Laurel, MD/Reservoir) hit an off-balance cross to Nichols who dribbled into the box and scored again in the bottom right corner of the net. After the Sea Devils again pulled the game within one, Nichols closed the game out for good with her fourth goal of the game as she hit a corner kick on goal off the hands of the Cape Fear goalkeeper and into the net to seal it.

The Dragons will now advance to the district finals as they will face off against CCBC Essex for a third time this season with Howard winning both of the earlier contests by a single goal difference. The championship match will take place at CCBC Dundalk at 3 PM on Saturday, May 22.