Meridian High School’s girls’ soccer team entered its Tuesday night home opener still looking for its first win of the year, with a draw and a loss in its first two games. They were playing for the second time in back-to-back days after falling to Annandale 3-2 on Monday, but in front of the home crowd, they weren’t going to be denied as they took on visiting Dominion.
Madie Miller scored seven minutes into the first half to give Meridian the game’s first lead, and then again at the 12 minute mark to put the home team up 2-0. Dominion came back with two goals of its own to tie the contest at the break, but then Miller and the Mustangs went back to work as she completed the hat trick early in the second half. And she still wasn’t done – she then scored two more times in a span of 50 seconds just before the midway point of the latter period, and Meridian hung on for what ended up being a 5-3 win as Dominion got one back late in the game.
Miller’s ultra-rare feat earned her what the team PA announcer referred to as a “glut,” the term for five goals in a game by one player. It’s been quite the start to the Spring season for Meridian athletics, as a few weeks ago Grant Greiner completed the first ever perfect game for the boys’ baseball team, and now Miller has given the girls’ soccer team a night to remember. The girls, now an even 1-1-1 for the season, will have a few weeks off before facing Liberty on the road on April 14th.
