Girls Soccer News
Ending Up Encouraged
Thursday, 01 November 2012 18:42

 

 

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Wicked Local Staff Photo by Erin Prawoko

Julia Copponi runs with the ball during Friday's 3-0 loss at Ursuline in the season finale.

By Tom Fargo/Staff Writer

 

The Norwood High girls soccer team ended the season without a win, but not without hope.

The Mustangs wrapped up their campaign with a 3-0 non-league loss to Ursuline Academy last Friday to conclude at 0-15-3. Norwood was coming off its finest performance of the season the day before, however, a 0-0 draw with a powerful Newton North squad

"We had some tired girls today, physically and emotionally," said first-year coach J.J Oliver. "Yesterday was Senior Day and yesterday was our best game and best result of the year by far."

Sophomore Mackenzie Sheehan registered the Mustangs’ first shutout of the year in net against the Tigers, making double-digit saves, while Norwood generate a number of quality chances on the offense end. North was fresh off a 4-0 victory over Bay State Conference Carey Division champion Needham and qualified for the Division 1 North tournament with an 11-2-5 mark.

"I think we had that game that every team and every coach wants, where every girl played up to their own ability," said Oliver. "Of the 19 girls that played I think 19 of them had their best game of the season. It was just a really special game. The communication level was at an all-time high, the level of our first touch was as good as it been all year, moving with the ball, moving without the ball – it was a fantastic game."

Norwood could not repeat the effort on the road the next day against a one-loss Bears team. It was the final contest for captains Alayna Fogg and Britney Cadiz, who was named a BSC All-Star honorable mention, as well fellow seniors Karyn Colomey, Heather Folan, Ali Quintiliani and Samantha Barry

"I know that the results weren’t always there, but I did feel like we improved quicker than could be expected and that’s from a lot of hard work, professionalism, not hanging your head and coming back every day and working hard again," said Oliver.

 

 
Girls Soccer Knots Up Framingham
Thursday, 11 October 2012 19:36

 

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Kacie Smith scores Norwood's goal

By the Sports Staff

The Mustangs remain winless but have now taken points in the two of their last three games after playing to a 1-1 draw in Framingham last Thursday.

"We had many more chances, we just couldn’t finish another one," said Norwood coach J.J. Oliver, whose team moved to 0-8-2. "It was nice to get the point. It was a winnable game, but it was definitely good to go to Framingham and get a point (against) the Carey side."

Kacie Smith put Norwood ahead 1-0 midway through the first, beating her mark after taking pass from Alayna Fogg. The Flyers knotted it early in the second, and the Mustangs were able to hold on for the tie with help from solid work in net by goalie Taylor Reed.


Read more: Girls soccer knots up Framingham - Norwood, MA - Norwood Bulletin http://www.wickedlocal.com/norwood/sports/x633738386/Girls-soccer-knots-up-Framingham#ixzz291KUu5G7

 

 
Dramatic win in girls soccer finale
Monday, 07 November 2011 18:56

 

altBy the Sports Staff

Freshman Kacie Smith sent the Mustangs home happy in their final game of the year, scoring with just over a minute left to deliver a 2-1 win in Wednesday’s season finale against Ursuline.

Norwood, which dropped its third straight one-goal game with a 1-0 loss to rival Walpole the previous night, finishes its first year under coach Peter McDonnell with a 6-12 mark.

“The way they finished the season today was a metaphor,” he said. “If they do stuff like that in life, play until the end, they will get their rewards.”

“We closed the gap some of the biggest teams in the state. We all would have liked a little bit more, we all would have liked to have been cheering in the tournament, but the fact is in the middle of the season no one on the team was willing to throw the towel in.”

With time ticking away, Brittany Sullivan won a ball in the Bears’ end and sent J.V. call-up Jess Murphy down the right side. Murphy centered in front where Leah Murphy drew enough attention for the ball to find its way to an open Smith at the far post, who found the open left side of the net for the game-winner in the 79th minute.

A goal from Vicky Driscoll helped sent the Mustangs into the break tied at 1-all. Driscoll was one of six seniors to see their Mustang career come to an end, along Murphy, Danielle Ringler, Sarah Chubet and fellow captains Lauren Seijido and Nicole Quintiliani, who missed the entire season with a knee injury.

 

 
Mustangs find the right touch against Ursuline
Friday, 07 October 2011 18:49
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Norwood's Kacie Smith (left) goes up for a header with Ursuline's Abby Sullivan during the Mustangs 3-2 win on Monday. 

 

Wicked Local Photo by Sean Browne



By Tom Fargo/Staff Writer
 

With the program’s all-time leading scorer gone to graduation, its most skilled returning playmaker sidelined by injury and a third coach in three years at the helm, it’s understandable that the Norwood High girls soccer team struggled out of the gate, especially offensively.

The Mustangs are hoping they have turned the corner heading into the second half of the season, doubling their goal total for the year in a 3-2 comeback victory at Ursuline Academy on Monday.

Senior Leah Murphy struck for tying and game-winning scores less than five minutes apart as Norwood overcame a 2-1 halftime deficit.

“It was great, it’s been a rough season because we haven’t scored many goals but the team really came together,” said Murphy. “The only reason I got the goals were the assists from the other forwards. Everybody has their heads up for the rest of the season.”

Norwood improved to 2-7 headed into the second half of its 18-game slate. The Mustangs were scheduled to take on Milton last night before a makeup game with Weymouth today.

“Obviously our record could be a little bit better results-wise but our performances have been better from one day to the next,” said Norwood first-year coach Peter McDonnell. “In the Walpole game we were are only a few minutes away from getting a tie against one of the best teams in the league. I would have liked to have been a little bit better, but from the first day until now we have been improving.”

Murphy says that the transition to their new coach, who assumed the reins when Kevin Aylett stepped down after a just one-year stint, has been smooth.

“It’s been totally different,” said Murphy. “He is very articulate with how he wants us to play so I think it’s a much better fit for us this year.”

The Mustangs were shut out in six of their first seven games as they adapted to life without Cory Ryan, now playing for the University of Maryland after scoring 101 points the previous four years, and senior captain Nicole Quintiliani, a creative midfielder who is recovering from an ACL tear suffered this summer.

Against the Bears, Norwood was without a second senior captain, Lauren Seijido, due to injury and lost another key midfielder, junior Brittany Cadiz, to a groin strain early in the contest.

Still, the Mustangs wasted little time getting on the board against Ursuline, converting a penalty kick four minutes in for a 1-0 lead.

Kacie Smith, one of four freshmen along with Kara Shea, Katherine Lynch and Julia Copponi to see regular playing time this year, was tripped at the top of the box and junior Brittany Sullivan buried the resulting shot from the spot. Smith was particularly dangerous all afternoon with penetrating runs from her wing forward position.

Ursuline (4-3) answered with a pair to take the edge into the break as Kristen Hickey placed a hard shot just past diving sophomore goalie Olivia Philbrook and inside the right post in the 13th minute and Courtney Sepe gave the Bears the lead in the 17th with a quick shot from the right side.

Philbrook bounced back to blank the Bears in the second half, making nine saves in all, including a key stop on a Sepe volley to preserve the Mustangs lead. Philbrook has been solid in her first full year as the starter in net, allowing two goals or less in six of her first nine games.

Murphy tied it just under 10 minutes into the second. The center forward took a pass from Sullivan inside the area with her back to the net and a defender marking tightly, spun to free her right foot and blasted a shot past Ursuline keeper Alicia McNally.

In the 54th minute, Copponi served a ball into the box that eluded the grasp of McNally, and Murphy was on the doorstep to poke it into the open net for a 3-2 advantage and the first two-goal game of her career.

Philbrook and the defense, anchored by junior Alayna Fogg, made the margin stand up. Senior captain Vicky Driscoll, the Mustangs’ glue in the center of the field, and junior Karyn Colomey, who shifted effectively between the back line and midfield, were also instrumental in the win.

“We got a little panicky in the first half and they are better than that,” said McDonnell. “We got the ball around like we are able to and we finished our chances today. I’m happy for the them, delighted that they got a win today because I think anything less would have been a disappointment for them at this stage of the season.”



Read more: Mustangs find the right touch against Ursuline - Norwood, MA - Norwood Bulletin http://www.wickedlocal.com/norwood/archive/x1415369446/Mustangs-find-the-right-touch-against-Ursuline#ixzz1a7hhfW7x
 
Soccer: Girls get McDonnell first win
Monday, 03 October 2011 18:13

altBy the Sports Staff

The Mustangs stand at 1-2 on the season after splitting pair of 2-0 decision, downing Milton on Friday to get new coach Peter McDonnell his first win with Norwood before a setback to Brookline Tuesday.

Both goals against the Wildcats came off restarts. Junior Alayna Fogg deposited a direct kick from about 25 yards out in the first half while freshman Kacie Smith registered her first varsity goal off a corner kick in the second.

Sophomore Olivia Philbrook recorded her first career shutout in net.

“It was a very strong performance, we were hungry for it, we were looking for that first win” said McDonnell. “We did say to the girls before the game that we want Norwood to be a fortress.”

 
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