Raifstanger's Goal Lifts Spartans in Opener

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. -- Sadie Raifstanger scored early in the first half, and the Monument Mountain girls soccer team made that one-goal lead hold up for a 1-0 win over Lenox in Tuesday's season opener for both teams.

 

Raifstanger converted a feed from Mallory Lucey for the game-winner.

 

"Really nice goal," Monument Mountain coach Sean Flynn said. "Sadie is an excellent player up top for us. She's really a threat all game."

 

Flynn said it was a back-and-forth, competitive game between the South County rivals, with the Spartans withstanding heavy pressure from the Millionaires in the second half.

 

"They have a really good striker up top, Jane Elliot, who was a handful," Flynn said.

 

"I felt like we had some really good chances in the first half. Lenox turned the tables on us in the second half right from the start. It took us time to reset, and it was a real battle after that."

 

Monument Mountain keeper Annaleise Hocker earned the clean sheet.

 

The Spartans (1-0) are at Mount Greylock on Tuesday.

 

Lenox will look for its first win on Friday when it hosts Pittsfield.