NEW SMYRNA BEACH — Since girls soccer season started a little more than a month ago, Seabreeze and New Smyrna Beach sought to challenge themselves, battling a number of the state's premier programs along the way.

On a chilly, windy Tuesday night, their paths intersected and produced an entertaining draw.

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The visiting Sandcrabs struck first, but New Smyrna Beach made tactical tweaks and grabbed a tying goal out of halftime in an eventual 1-1 result. Arguably the two top teams in Volusia County this season, Seabreeze and New Smyrna Beach have tallied three wins apiece to date, but intend on stacking plenty more as the year wears on.

"It's definitely an eye-opener," Seabreeze midfielder Morgan Long said of her team's schedule that includes the last two Class 7A state champions, Bartram Trail and Creekside. "It teaches us how to play crisp, how to play clean and neat. But it also teaches us how to be scrappy."

Seabreeze (3-4-1), two-time defending Five Star Conference champion, advanced last year to a regional final in the Florida High School Athletic Association's girls soccer playoffs for the first time since 2012. The Sandcrabs crushed Tampa Freedom and edged Horizon before falling 3-2 in extra time to Wesley Chapel Cypress Creek.

For third-year Sandcrabs coach Eli Freidus, the task in this season's first half is finding an identity and reliable goal-scoring. Brianna Chesley, who recently completed her freshman year at Baylor University, fired home 55 goals the previous two campaigns as the Sandcrabs' focal point up top.

"We've been playing pretty aggressive, even against those really good teams. I'm not going to put nine players in the back. We're going to play the way we play," Freidus said. "Our formations have attackers in the attacking half of the field. That's what we want to do, and we want to possess and keep the ball out there."

Seabreeze controlled possession against New Smyrna Beach (3-2-3) for the opening 20 minutes, and was rewarded shortly after the water break when Long belted home a direct free kick for her third goal of the season.

But the 'Cudas threatened on the counter with speedy sophomore Celeste Coney driving at the Seabreeze back line, and a tactical shift resulted in the equalizer within the opening five minutes of the second half. Junior Skya Horth, moved from central midfield to forward on the left side of a 4-4-2 formation, shrugged off a challenge in the box and lashed a left-footed shot into the bottom right corner.

Seabreeze was granted another free kick, 22 yards from goal, in the final two minutes. Long attempted to drive her shot low, but New Smyrna Beach keeper Molly Andriola reacted and held on to prevent Kylie Watson from pouncing on a rebound.

"I feel like (this result) grows our confidence a lot," Horth said. "We have a lot of new freshmen on the team, and a new coach this year. I feel like it's just a big thing for us."

James Harden, who spent the past 16 years in charge of Mainland, took command at New Smyrna Beach late in the summer when Taylor Berry accepted the coaching position at Fleming Island. Harden was enticed not only by working with a group just two seasons removed from a district title but also by the opportunity to coach his daughter, freshman midfielder Alaina Harden.

Of note thus far, New Smyrna Beach defeated Flagler Palm Coast, grabbed a draw against Timber Creek and lost 6-0 to Lake Mary, the No. 2 team in Class 7A according to MaxPreps.

"It's a good mix," Harden said of his group. "We've got good leadership that is helping the young ones grow into what they have developed New Smyrna's soccer team into being the last few years, which has been a good team.

"We're in a tough district still, we've got one more year with those Orlando (area) teams. But I think that we can hold our own against the majority of the teams that are in our district."

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: High school girls soccer: Seabreeze, New Smyrna Beach play to 1-1 draw