RallyNorth.net

Newburyport cruises to victory

Tuesday, November, 11 By Dan Guttenplan
Sports editor

NEWBURYPORT — The opening two rounds of the state tournament have been nothing short of target practice for the Newburyport girls soccer team over the past three seasons.

The Clippers posted their sixth consecutive pre-semifinal round shutout yesterday, beating North Reading, 2-0, in the EMass. Division 3 North quarterfinal at Cherry Hill Park. The second-seeded Clippers received a goal and an assist from junior Veronica Poirier. Senior Taylor Bresnahan added a goal, and classmate Laura Muise had an assist.

The Clippers (16-2-2) have outscored their last six opening- or quarterfinal-round opponents, 27-0. In each of the previous two seasons, the Clippers parlayed two shutouts into a Division 3 North sectional title. Last season, the Clippers won two additional games to capture a state title.

“It’s the state tournament, so everyone gets up for these games,” Bresnahan said. “We know we have to play our best or else the season is over.”

No. 7 North Reading (12-6-2) was one of four Cape Ann League teams that advanced to the Division 3 North quarterfinal round. Two of the four advanced yesterday — Newburyport and No. 3 Lynnfield (15-2-3). The Clippers and Pioneers will meet in the semifinal on Thursday (time and site to be determined). The Pioneers tied Newburyport, 2-2, on Oct. 16 — a game in which the Clippers trailed 2-0 in the first half.

“We’ve developed a rivalry with Lynnfield,” Newburyport coach Robb Gonnam said. “I coached in the youth program there for 17 years (1977-1993). When they tied us earlier this season, they took a 2-0 lead very early in the game. I was very pleased that we came back from that deficit. In that game, they scored a 55-yard goal and a 35-yard goal. Neither is likely to happen this time.”

Lynnfield advanced by defeating No. 11 St. Mary’s, 3-1, yesterday afternoon. The Spartans also offered potential for a rivalry matchup considering the Clippers eliminated them from tournament play the last two seasons. In 2006, Newburyport posted an overtime victory over the Spartans in the sectional final. Last season, the Clippers won, 4-1, in the quarterfinal.

Newburyport also eliminated Lynnfield from the state tournament last fall with a 3-1 victory in the semifinal. In all fairness, many teams have been on the losing end of games with Newburyport over the last three seasons. In that time, the Clippers have an overall record of 57-5-3, including 12-1 in the postseason.

“It’s exciting because I feel we’re clicking as a team,” Poirier said yesterday. “It’s encouraging because we’ve been here before, and we know what it takes. We’ve played like a family in these first two tournament games.”

Poirier tallied the game’s first goal in the 17th minute off a corner kick from Muise. Four minutes into the second half, she set up Bresnahan from a corner kick situation and the senior midfielder volleyed the ball into the net.

Poirier will likely rotate back to a more defensive position as the Clippers advance in the tournament. Gonnam will rely on Bresnahan, Muise and Jillian Kinter, the leading goal scorer in program history, to generate offense.

“I feel we have a chance to repeat,” Bresnahan said. “You never know, but we’re giving ourselves a chance just like last year.”