Wahconah Girls Shut Out Hoosac Valley
CHESHIRE, Mass. – Emma Belcher and Norah Esko each found the back of the net on Saturday afternoon to give the Wahconah girls soccer team a 2-0 win at Hoosac Valley.
Wahconah (3-4), which started the season on a three-game losing streak, won for the third time in four outings and bounced back from a road loss at Hampshire less than 24 hours earlier.
“It’s definitely tough to play back to back,” Wahconah coach Maggie Rivers said. “It’s more of a mental thing. Our legs are definitely heavy. But they responded well, though. This is the second time we’ve done it this season, and we have one more next weekend, actually.
“We’ll be alright. We’re getting through it.”
Belcher shook off the doldrums by converting a direct free kick from just outside the 18 in the 15th minute to give her team a 1-0 lead.
Wahconah kept the pressure on throughout the game, but keeper Emma Meczywor and the Hoosac Valley defense were able to limit the damage.
“We really were passing with some intention, which makes me happy and makes our life easier,” Rivers said. “So if we can carry that over to the next game, that would be great. Obviously, we’d like to finish as much as we can, but we’re working on that, and those touches will come as the year goes on and our legs get a little bit stronger and not as heavy.
“We could use a little break between games, but it’s all good. They worked the whole game.”
It was not until midway through the second that Wahconah finally was able to break through again.
This time, it was Esko converting a feed from Olivia Gamberoni to give Wahconah a little breathing room.
The Hurricanes mounted a couple of challenges but were not able to get a shot on frame as they slipped to 4-4 this fall.
Hoosac Valley will go to Ware on Wednesday.
Wahconah hosts Longmeadow on Tuesday.