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Pinkerton Astros Girls Soccer '16

Sun, Nov 06, 2016 02:15 PM @ Pinkerton
Team 1st 2nd Final
Bedford 0 1 1
Pinkerton 1 1 2

Velho, Astros win title

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EXETER — With the score tied at 1-1 and overtime looming as an increasingly likely possibility, Pinkerton’s Courtney Velho surveyed the field, the ball resting right near the 40-yard line a few feet in front of her.

The defense was lined up near the edge of the box, with several Pinkerton players waiting just onside to make a run. Velho charged forward, booted the free kick in, and almost in slow motion, the ball bounced just beyond the reach of the far defender, right where nobody could get a touch on it.

Including, as it turned out, the Bedford goalkeeper.

“I couldn’t believe it, I still can’t believe it,” Velho said of the goal after the game. “It’s just awesome, it’s going to take a while for it to settle in.”

Velho’s goal with four minutes to play gave Pinkerton the lead for good, and after a few tense minutes and a heart-stopping Bedford shot that went off the crossbar, the final whistle blew, giving the Astros the 2-1 win and the program’s second straight Division 1 state championship. 

“I can’t believe we just did it,” said junior midfielder Britney Johnson. “I’m so proud of everyone on the team, I’m so excited.”

Pinkerton took control of the game early, getting a goal from Julia Bousquet off a corner kick from Mel Roberge in the ninth minute. But after that, the Astros began to play more tentatively, giving Bedford an opportunity to apply more pressure in a bid to get back into the game.

Astro goalie Reagan Kolinski more than held her own. Late in the first half, the Pinkerton sophomore made an absolutely brilliant diving save to help preserve the 1-0 lead going into halftime.

But once the second half got underway, Bedford kept coming, and eventually the Bulldogs broke through after Brianna CoCo grabbed a rebound off a shot and put the ball away to tie the score with about 13 minutes left.

With a renewed sense of urgency, Pinkerton picked up their game, and soon enough Velho delivered the game-winner.

“We knew what it would be like going into overtime and penalty kicks like last year, so we definitely didn’t want to go through that again,” Velho said. “So the goal was very pivotal, it was crucial.”

Pinkerton coach Steve Gundrum said after the game that Bedford was a tremendous team who played well enough to win, and that his team lapsed into “park the bus” defensive soccer far more than he would have preferred. But he was proud of the way his team came out early and then responded after the tying goal, though he added he could have done without the near goal off the crossbar at the very end.

“It’s like really? Are we going to go to overtime?” Gundrum joked. “It’s like this is one of those games, I didn’t think I had any more hairs left that could give to gray, but I’ve given everything I could possibly give to gray.”

Pinkerton finishes the season 16-3, while Bedford wraps up at 16-2-1.

Pinkerton 2, Bedford 1

Division 1 Final

Goals: P — Julia Bousquet, Courtney Velho; B — Brianna CoCo

Assists: P — Mel Roberge

Saves: P — Reagan Kolinski 7; B — Lauren Johnson 4

Bedford (16-2-1): 0 1 — 1

Pinkerton (16-3): 1 1 — 2

Game Statistics:

Division 1 Final

Goals: P — Julia Bousquet, Courtney Velho; B — Brianna Coco

Assists: P — Mel Roberge

Saves: P — Reagan Kolinski 7; B — Lauren Johnson 4

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