Photo gallery: Pirates win, and Miracle Porter breaks Florida's all-time goals record

Palm Coast Observer
Sports

She scored 68 goals her freshman season, 76 sophomore year. She notched 37 more as a junior, and it has taken 49 goals through her 18 matches this season for Matanzas senior Miracle Porter to break the Florida all-time goals record against DeLand on Friday, Jan. 6, at Matanzas.

“It feels amazing to finally get that record,” Porter said. “I’ve never been nervous for a game, but I was more nervous this game than any other time in my life.”

Over the last several decades, thousands of young girls have donned their team jerseys to represent their high school soccer teams in Florida. Andrea Sellers isolated herself from the rest, when she became the nation’s second most — and Florida’s — all-time goal scorer with 229 goals from 1994-97.

With a few more games to go until the district tournament, Porter can now separate herself even further from Sellers and her record that has stood for 20 years.

Pirates coach Tony Benvenuto has coached Porter for the last four years, but he refuses to take any credit for what she’s accomplished.

“I’d hate to take any credit for the abilities she was born with,” he said. “I was just at the right place at the right time. Just being a part of this journey is great. It’s great for Matanzas, and it’s great for the soccer program.”

Fellow senior Leanna Ballschmieder has played with Porter each of the last four years, and she has a few reasons to celebrate her teammate’s new state record.

“I know it’s really exciting for her; that’s a really big accomplishment,” she said. “Not a lot of people can do that. And I’m excited too, because I’ve assisted her on a lot of those goals.”

Up next, Top 3?

Miracle now has a shot to move into the national Top 3 all-time, if she can pass Rachel Alexander’s (Louisiana) 242-goal mark. Porter needs 13 goals.

“It’s another accomplishment I want to reach,” Porter said, “and I’m ready to put in the work to make it there.”

ICYMI: The Lady Pirates topped the DeLand Bulldogs 3-1. Claire Slamka opened the scoring for Matanzas, when she rebounded Alyssia Piaz's ball from the goalkeeper and put it in the net.

Miracle Porter scored the other two goals for the Pirates at the end of the the first half and the beginning of the second half. Hannah Hile assisted Porter on one of the goals.