A tap-in proved the difference in the opening round of the girls’ 3A playoffs as the Gilbert Christian Knights defeated the Eastmark Firebirds 1-0.

Freshman Daniella Orellana was on hand to tuck it in, after a long range free kick was spilled by the Eastmark goalkeeper.

Prior to that stage, the Knights had looked the better team but were taking many shots from distance that either fizzed off frame or proved little match for the goalkeeper. In fact, the goal itself was produced from a Shaylee Earnhart set piece in the 31st minute, launched towards the net from at least 25 yards away.

“We didn’t score on the shot that we wanted,” Gilbert Christian coach Jay Feely said. “It was a good shot, but we followed and that’s what you have to do.

“Really, when you get to the playoffs, it’s about desire. You have to have girls that want it, and they have to do the dirty things like follow and pick up a ball and put it in, and Daniella did an excellent job.”

The goal was Orellana’s fourth of the season.

“I was very frustrated and I was very mad at my teammates, and down on myself in the first half [for] not getting shots off,” she said. “Then I breathed and controlled and I finally just calmed down and just got the ball in.”

Featuring prominently in the center of the park, Orellana almost set up an additional two goals in the second half, but her teammates ultimately failed to bury the chances.

“At the beginning of the season, she’s a freshman, she thought she could come in and it’d be easy,” Feely said. “Then, all of a sudden, she found out it’s not easy.

“Now she plays tough. She plays hard. She plays physical. She never wants to come off the field. She’s learning to control the center midfield, and she’s going to be a player that continues to grow and continues to get better every week.”

Yet Orellana is not the only youngster on the team who made waves on Wednesday night, with Shaylee Earnheart coming close to finding a goal of her own on several occassions.

“She’s an excellent forward and an excellent player, and she’s only a freshman,” Feely said. “I can’t wait to see her continue to grow.”

The result wasn’t beyond doubt in the closing stages, though, with the visitors pushing forward for much of the last ten minutes.

“I think we gave them a real run for their money,” Eastmark coach Jason Best said. “I couldn’t be more proud of my girls, they played every minute.”

The Firebirds holding the defending state champions so close in the opening round was no small feat, given it was their first season of varsity-level play.

“We don’t even have any graduating seniors at Eastmark yet,” Best said. “This is our biggest freshman class. We’ll have another big freshman class next year.

“I’m so proud of them. There’s not enough good things I can say and I’m just super excited for next year.”

With Eastmark now out of the way, attention turns to Saturday for Gilbert Christian, and their coach believes that improving their performance in front of goal will be key.

“When we have opportunities to finish, we’ve got to finish,” Feely said. “We missed one from two feet out. We had a couple of one-on-ones and hit the crossbar a couple of times. I’m not mad about the crossbar, those were good shots, but we’re young. We’ve got nine freshman on this team so we’ve got to keep getting better, keep working hard.”

After an upset elsewhere, the Knights will now face American Leadership Academy – Gilbert North in the next round.

“If you’re in the quarter finals, you’ve always got a good chance [of winning the title],” Feely said. “It’s going to be tough, but every game we played this year has been tough and I believe in this team.”