Meredith Mayo’s goal with 5:55 left lifted Free State High to a 3-2, come-from-behind victory over Manhattan in girls soccer Saturday at FSHS.

The Firebirds (1-1) took a 1-0 lead on Katy Vormehr’s header goal, assisted by Michelle Garcia, off a corner kick 20 minutes in, but MHS scored a pair of goals with 7:50 left in the first and again two minutes later and carried a 2-1 lead into halftime.

FREE STATE HIGH'S Meredith Mayo, left, tries to maintain control while under pressure from a Manhattan player in the Firebirds' 3-2 win on Saturday at FSHS.

Garcia scored a goal from 25 yards out about 12 minutes into the second half to tie it, 2-all, and Mayo won it by putting in a loose ball after a 30-yard free kick by Garcia.

“It was a good game,” FSHS coach Jason Pendleton said. “In the last game, we had a kid red-carded, so we had to play without one of our best players the entire game. Down 2-1 at halftime, we could have folded, but we battled the entire game. And we’d never beaten Manhattan before in five years, so it was a big win for us.”

Pendleton cited Garcia, Vormehr, defenders Kelsey Mellard, Molly Ford and Emilie Humbarger, and Linsey Morningstar, who recorded a second-half shutout in goal.

“This should give us a little confidence,” Pendleton said. “Hopefully we learned a lot about competing. In the first game of the season, we didn’t do those things. We’re hoping this will be a catalyst for us.”