Taconic Girls Soccer Edges Drury
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- The Taconic girls soccer team jumped out to a 2-0 lead midway through the first half and held on for a 3-2 win over Drury on Tuesday afternoon.
Jenna Bateman scored twice and helped set up the third goal for Taconic (5-2), which won its third straight game.
Despite getting outshot by a margin of 11-2 in the first half, the Blue Devils (1-7) rallied with a goal in the 28th minute to make it a 2-1 game.
But Taconic re-established its two-goal margin early in the second half.
Jasmyn Middleton sent Bateman up the right wing with a pass out of the back, and Bateman made a run into the corner before turning into the box. Her initial shot rang off the crossbar, but Rianna Gittens cashed in the rebound to make it 3-1.
“It was an excellent ball,” Taconic coach Jenna Giardina said. “We’ve been talking about hitting long balls to the corners, and they’re finally starting to click together as a team.
“It’s been really fun to watch.”
Taconic generated several chances on balls up the wings in the first half.
But it’s first goal came off a throw-in deep on the left wing. Drury’s Alyssa Russel (15 saves) was able to make a stop, but the rebound went to Bateman, who knocked it home for her first of the game and sixth of the season in the fifth minute.
Thirteen minutes later, Bateman took a through ball from Sydnie Sherman up the left side and went five hole to make it 2-0.
Drury was able to cash in on its best chance of the half 10 minutes later. Alison Felix and Hayley Shook broke through the midfield in an odd-man rush, and Taconic keeper Jackie Boateng (three saves) came off her line to make a play on the ball.
Boteng’s attempt to clear ended up going to Shook, who deposited a shot in the back of the net to cut Taconic’s lead in half.
Gittens’ goal gave the visitors some breathing room, but neither the oppressive heat nor the change in momentum deterred Drury, which had some of its best chances in the final 20 minutes of the game.
One such chance was killed when Felix was fouled inside the 18. Drury was awarded a penalty kick, which Felix converted for the game’s final goal.
Drury coach Mary Jane Rumbolt was happy with her team’s effort.
“I am so proud of these girls,” she said. “We’re in the middle of a tough season. We’ve played really tough games. And it’s hard keeping the morale up. But this is what proves that they’re coming along.
“They stayed strong, they kept going, and that’s what we want to see.”
Drury goes to Mahar on Wednesday.
Taconic hosts Hoosac Valley on Thursday.