Dowling Powers McCann Tech Girls Past Commerce
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- The 2015 season looks promising for the McCann Tech girls soccer team, who finished first in the 
Tri-County last year.
Tri-County last year.
They opened the season Tuesday afternoon at home against Commerce, winning 8-1.
Sophomore Aimee Dowling set the tone less than three minutes into the first half; putting in one of her three goals for the day in the back of the net at 2 minutes, 59 seconds.
"I've been really excited for the season to start so I think it was more adrenaline than anything," Dowling said after the game.
Her excitement for the upcoming season definitely paid off in her first day back in uniform as she put in two more goals, the second in the first half from Hannah Fuller and her third coming off a free kick in the second half.
Jordan Reinhardt set up the ball outside the 18 with 13:44 to go, she sent the ball into the box where Dowling was positioned and finished it in the back of the net to put the Hornets ahead, 6-0.
"She's going to be my go to," coach Mike Dowling said. "She puts the ball in net."
Aimee Dowling said as a team they haven't set up any free kick plays yet for the season, but in the off season she has spent some time working on finishing the ball.
"I worked on a lot over the summer, but we haven't done much work in practice yet setting up plays," she said.
Finishing is something that Mike Dowling plans to work on further with the girls in practice; although they scored eight goals Tuesday afternoon, the Hornets had a few missed open net opportunities.
McCann led at half 5-0, with the two goals from Dowling and the other three coming from Natalie Diesz, Monique Martel and Allie Andrews. Allie Gibeau assisted two of the goals.
McCann controlled the ball throughout the first half and the second. They started the second half with their second string; who worked the ball around the field and had opportunities to put the ball on net. Their first goal of the second half came from Dowling on the free kick.
With one minute to go Diesz scored another to make it 7-0.
Commerce at the kickoff took the ball up the field and was able to create some motion in front of McCann's net where backup goalie freshman Emma Marino just missed the shot they sent into the net to make it 7-1.
Fuller on the opposite end then did the same thing for the Hornets, carrying the ball up field with 30 seconds to go and making it an 8-1 final.
"We pass well, we move the ball well, I think we have to move it quicker, but we have to finish better," Mike Dowling said.
McCann now 1-0 will travel to Smith Thursday afternoon for a 4 p.m. start.