R.L. Bynum
04-15-2008, 09:34 PM
A second-half takeover
Gloucester breaks away after scoreless first half to beat Kecoughtan.
By JENNIFER L. WILLIAMS | jwilliams@dailypress.com | 247-4644
GLOUCESTER — Kecoughtan’s girls soccer team hung with Gloucester for a half Tuesday night, but the Dukes quickly turned the game after that.
Gloucester scored twice early in the second half and cruised 5-1 in a meeting of two of the Peninsula District’s best. Gloucester (5-3, 2-0 PD) is the defending district champion and favorite to win it again.
Each team opened district play April 4 with a shutout victory, and they were coming off last week’s spring break for one of the season’s biggest matches.
Sophomore Linsey Snavely had two goals and an assist for Gloucester before getting hurt. Freshman Elisabeth Drake scored twice and Shelly Milks once.
Gloucester coach Bob Fisher’s first-half impression was of his team playing its normal possession game, but to its opponent.
“We were not able to connect and keep in possession through our buildup through the midfield,” Fisher said. “We were literally playing the ball to the defenders’ feet.”
This was quickly rectified when Gloucester hit twice in the first five minutes of the second half.
Snavely played a ball forward up the middle that Milks corralled and sprayed past Kecoughtan goalkeeper Cat Perry 2 minutes and 10 seconds in.
Three minutes and 20 seconds later, Snavely dribbled up the left side to beat a defender and score left-footed from 18 yards.
With 18:43 left, Snavely dribbled and shot from 15 yards and quickly went down in obvious pain. Afterward, she said she might have torn her right hamstring, but hoped not.
“Second half we came out really strong and played together as a team and put some goals away,” Snavely said. “I think we came out with a lot more heart the second half and we were a lot more confident that we could take it over. The first half we just didn’t have what it took to take the game over.”
Kecoughtan (1-2, 1-1) had chances, but only Sam Applin’s slow roller past prone Gloucester goalkeeper Emily Coleman hit net. It broke the shutout for a 3-1 score with 16:36 left.
Drake scored on a putback attempt with 11:23 left and again from the right side in the final seconds.
“Kecoughtan always steps up,” Fisher said. “They always play us hard. We play them hard and it’s always a good contest.”
GLOUCESTER 5, KECOUGHTAN 1
Halftime—0-0. Goals—Kecoughtan, Applin; Gloucester, Snavely 2, Milks, Drake 2. Assists—Gloucester, Snavely, Cogan. Shots—Kecoughtan 12, Gloucester 13. Saves—Kecoughtan, Perry 3; Gloucester, Coleman 3. Records—Kecoughtan 1-2, 1-1 Peninsula District; Gloucester 5-3, 2-0.
Gloucester breaks away after scoreless first half to beat Kecoughtan.
By JENNIFER L. WILLIAMS | jwilliams@dailypress.com | 247-4644
GLOUCESTER — Kecoughtan’s girls soccer team hung with Gloucester for a half Tuesday night, but the Dukes quickly turned the game after that.
Gloucester scored twice early in the second half and cruised 5-1 in a meeting of two of the Peninsula District’s best. Gloucester (5-3, 2-0 PD) is the defending district champion and favorite to win it again.
Each team opened district play April 4 with a shutout victory, and they were coming off last week’s spring break for one of the season’s biggest matches.
Sophomore Linsey Snavely had two goals and an assist for Gloucester before getting hurt. Freshman Elisabeth Drake scored twice and Shelly Milks once.
Gloucester coach Bob Fisher’s first-half impression was of his team playing its normal possession game, but to its opponent.
“We were not able to connect and keep in possession through our buildup through the midfield,” Fisher said. “We were literally playing the ball to the defenders’ feet.”
This was quickly rectified when Gloucester hit twice in the first five minutes of the second half.
Snavely played a ball forward up the middle that Milks corralled and sprayed past Kecoughtan goalkeeper Cat Perry 2 minutes and 10 seconds in.
Three minutes and 20 seconds later, Snavely dribbled up the left side to beat a defender and score left-footed from 18 yards.
With 18:43 left, Snavely dribbled and shot from 15 yards and quickly went down in obvious pain. Afterward, she said she might have torn her right hamstring, but hoped not.
“Second half we came out really strong and played together as a team and put some goals away,” Snavely said. “I think we came out with a lot more heart the second half and we were a lot more confident that we could take it over. The first half we just didn’t have what it took to take the game over.”
Kecoughtan (1-2, 1-1) had chances, but only Sam Applin’s slow roller past prone Gloucester goalkeeper Emily Coleman hit net. It broke the shutout for a 3-1 score with 16:36 left.
Drake scored on a putback attempt with 11:23 left and again from the right side in the final seconds.
“Kecoughtan always steps up,” Fisher said. “They always play us hard. We play them hard and it’s always a good contest.”
GLOUCESTER 5, KECOUGHTAN 1
Halftime—0-0. Goals—Kecoughtan, Applin; Gloucester, Snavely 2, Milks, Drake 2. Assists—Gloucester, Snavely, Cogan. Shots—Kecoughtan 12, Gloucester 13. Saves—Kecoughtan, Perry 3; Gloucester, Coleman 3. Records—Kecoughtan 1-2, 1-1 Peninsula District; Gloucester 5-3, 2-0.