Smith Voc Pulls Away Late at McCann Tech

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – Erin Miller recorded a goal and an assist, and the Smith Vocational girls soccer team Thursday wore down McCann Tech to take a 4-0 win.

 

Miller scored the game-winner off a cross from teammate Kate Wolcott in the 11th minute, and McCann Tech and keeper Bella Lefevre kept the visitors off the scoreboard for the next 50 minutes before Smith Voc tacked on three goals starting with 9 minutes, 19 seconds to play in the game.

 

Lefevre, who finished with 22 saves, for most of the afternoon gave her team a puncher’s chance against a Viking team that three days earlier earned a 7-2 win over Springfield Central, a team that beat the Hornets, 7-3, back on Sept. 10.

 

“Bella has been solid in the net,” McCann Tech coach Lindsay Lincoln said. “She had 21 saves last game, and she had 22 today.

 

“She’s really playing with a lot of confidence right now. Her growth from last year, I can really see it on the field. She’s dominant right now. And I’m really proud of her.”

 

Thursday marked the first meeting of the year between the Pioneer South Division rivals, but the Vikings and Hornets had a lot of recent history – not all of it good for McCann Tech.

 

Last fall, Smith Voc went 1-0-1 against McCann Tech in the regular season. Then, the Vikings knocked the Hornets out in the State Vocational final and Division 5 State Tournament by a combined 13-0 in the two post-season games.

 

In the early going on Thursday, it looked like another blowout could be in the cards.

 

Smith Voc put on heavy early pressure and finally converted in the 10th minute when Wolcott sent the ball from the left wing in to Miller, who finished to make it 1-0.

 

From that point on, though, McCann Tech’s defense stood up to a constant barrage, holding the Vikings without another first half goal despite not possessing the ball across midfield for 40 minutes.

 

The Vikings had a couple of near misses in the first half, hitting a post in the 15th minute and getting a strong chance from Kirra Trudell from deep on the right wing that went just wide of the far post with about 2:30 left until half-time.

 

Midway through the second half, Smith Voc nearly doubled its lead when it got the ball behind Lefevre, but the keeper recovered and smothered the ball at the post to kill the opportunity.

 

And six minutes later, the Hornets generated a free kick just over the midfield stripe on the Vikings’ side of the field. But Smith Voc’s defender won the ball and turned it back upfield, where the visitors continued to keep McCann Tech bottled up.

 

All that pressure finally produced the game’s second goal with 9:19 left.

 

Julianis Suarez, who played the first half in goal for the Vikings, scored from distance to give her team some insurance.

 

Three minutes later, Miller set up Isabella Letourneau, who made it 3-0 with 6:29 remaining.

 

In the 77th minute, the Hornets gave their fans some hope when Zoe Kratz made a run up the left wing and played the ball back to Colbie Crouse, who one-timed it to the top of the 18. But a Smith Voc defender was there to clear it out of immediate danger and, eventually, the Vikings got the ball back to their offensive side.

 

Finally, in the closing seconds, Smith Voc earned a corner kick opportunity that led to Savannah Fredette playing the ball home off a rebound from a defender in the middle of the 18 as time expired.

 

Considering how much time the Hornets spent on defense, it was inevitable that their backs and mids would get a little tired out, leading to Smith Voc’s offensive explosion at the end.

 

It also did not help that the Hornets were short-handed down the stretch.

 

“Graclyn [Wojieck], our senior defender, had a really good game today,” Lincoln said. “Then, at the end, she had an injury, and I think her going out changed the momentum a little. But we’ve had a lot of girls step up this year with not a lot of soccer experience, and they really stepped up, and they’re playing with true heart.

 

“In my years of coaching the team, the heart that they bring to every game is really remarkable. I’m proud of them.”

 

McCann Tech (1-3) makes the short trip to play local and Pioneer South rival Hoosac Valley on Monday.

 

“If we bring the team we just played with right now, we’ll be ready for Monday,” Lincoln said.

 

Photos from this game to come.