RallyNorth.net

Clippers come up short

Tuesday, October, 02 By Jimmy Carroll
Staff writer

NEWBURYPORT | For a Newburyport girls soccer team that is 45-5-5 since 2005, rarely does a match pass in which the Clippers don't get another team's best effort.

In a rare circumstance, the Clippers weren't able to match an opponent's best effort yesterday, dropping a Cape Ann League rivarly game to North Andover, 2-0, at Cherry Hill Field. The Scarlet Knights had plenty of motivation; The win moves the squad into a first-place tie with Newburyport for the Cape Ann League title and avenges a 1-0 defeat last year at the hands of the Clippers.

"Honestly, I think we got a little lucky," North Andover coach Kevin McCarthy said. "I think the kids had a bit of a sheepish look on their faces when they walked off the field because they knew Newburyport outplayed them."

Battling in a scoreless tie for much of the match, the Clippers (8-1) had a number of opportunities to score on Knights keeper Maya Miatkowski. The home team outshot the Scarlet Knights, 14-10, but was unable to deposit the tie-breaker over the first 84 minutes. North Andover (8-1) stayed resilient and scored two late goals.

"We moved the ball beautifully, we just didn't do well with some decision-making and striking," said Newburyport coach Robb Gonnam. "Shots didn't go in, but that's what happens when you can't execute."

The Clippers only lost two starters from last year's 21-2 campaign | that season ended with a 2-1 loss to Norwell in the EMass. Division 3 Final. So to say the expectations for the team were high, if not lofty, would not be a stretch. "Our preseason goals were definitely to win the league again, and hopefully go back into the tournament," said Gonnam. "But this doesn't change the game plan or level of play." The difference in yesterday's match came down to the Knights utilizing opportunities to score goals, and the Clippers' inability to find any of those opportunites. Unfortunately for the Clippers, the final score is all that matters. "We were down in their area for 80 percent of the first half, and we couldn't score any goals," said Gonnam. "At the half, I told the team that is how you lose games, by not taking advantages of opportunity." The Clippers have a history of responding well to losses. Last season, after their only regular season loss | a 2-1 loss to North Reading | the team responded with nine straight victories, four of which were in the state tournament.

"Everyone was upset about (the loss) and I think it really fueled us as a team," said junior defensive midfielder Taylor Bresnahan. "The loss was a lesson, and this will be the same way. It's going to give us extra motivation."

The added motivation figures to benefit a Clippers squad that faces North Reading and Masconomet this week.

"Both games are going to be tough," said senior striker Margaret Mahoney. "But this team takes losing very seriously and I have the confidence we will pull through."

As far as the rest of the season goes for Newburyport, the going theme seems to be moving on and continuing to play hard and win games.

"I don't think this loss is going to affect our play," said junior striker Jillian Kinter. "Hopefully we can exceed what we did last year. We want to win a state championship."