Lions win second straight
Iaciofano delivers game-winning goal in 47th minute
CRANSTON — The Lincoln girls soccer team’s uneven start to the season shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise after the Lions graduated one of the best players in program history, current Stonehill standout and multiple-time All-State midfielder Camryn Thompson.
The Lions dropped three games by a goal in their first four contests of the season, but slowly they’ve started to develop an identity thanks to the leadership and play of seniors Lily Loparto, Riley Soares, Sadie Lafleur and Sarah Flemingham.
“Because we lost [Thompson] all of us had to step up and play as well as we have been playing in the last week,” Loparto said. “I think we’re doing great.”
After hammering reigning Division II champion Burrillville last week behind a pair of goals from Loparto, the Lions started a crucial week with a 1-0 road victory over talented Cranston West Tuesday afternoon at the Chafee Complex. Loparto created the game-winning goal in the 48th minute when she delivered a cross from the right wing that was side-footed past Falcon goalie Grace Venagro by junior winger Jenna Iaciofano.
Lincoln (3-3 Division I) now has as many wins as the Falcons and Valley rival Cumberland with struggling Coventry coming to Ferguson Field for a 5 p.m. contest tomorrow.
“Rainouts didn’t help us to start the season because we were only playing one game a week,” veteran Lincoln coach Chris Allen said. “Every other game was getting canceled. We’re finally moving along right now and getting some steam rolling. Things are starting to click.
“The games where we left points on the field weren’t games that were out of our hands either. We just needed to work on our stuff and get things together. We had to work through some stuff, but the upperclassmen have really stepped up.”
Cranston West (3-5-1 Division I) received 10 saves in the first half from starting goalie Madison Alves, while Venagro made six saves, including a couple important ones early in the half to keep the Falcons in the game.
Lincoln goalie Jenna Andrews secured her second straight shutout thanks to a 10-save performance. The junior made a couple of crucial saves with her feet in the first half when the Lions were still trying to find their footing on a soggy field.
The Lions’ best chance to score in the opening half came in the 36th minute when sophomore midfielder Sadie Oliver ripped a free kick from 35 yards that was saved by Alves. Andrews made a crucial stop just before halftime to keep the game tied.
“I really feel like in the last 10 to 15 minutes of the first half we started to pick up the pace and we started getting to the ball first,” Allen said. “We really started making them work, which was good, because it allowed us to play our passing game and slow it down. We had quite a few chances, and I thought we got a little unlucky with some of them.”
The Lions opened the scoring when Loparto latched on to a ball on the right side of the box and crossed it to the far post. After skipping past a couple of players, the ball was smacked past Venagro by Iaciofano in the 48th minute for her first goal of the campaign.
“I was playing it to her because she was yelling at me,” said Loparto, Lincoln’s leading scorer with four goals and three assists. “She was ready to score and she did.”
Lincoln continued to dominate possession after opening the scoring, which nearly led to a second goal in the 56th minute. Fellingham fired a shot from the top of the box that just missed the net.
“We needed to get our younger players to work through some stuff early in the season and the upperclassmen needed to kind of get in their groove,” Allen said. “This is two good games in a row for us. The seniors are showing a lot of poise and they are very, very good players. Everyone’s playing hard – that’s all you can ask for.” Lincoln 01
Cranston West 0 0
First half – No scoring.
Second half – L, Jenna Iaciofano (Lily Loparto), 48:00. Saves – L, Jenna Andrews (10 saves); CW, Madison Alves (10 saves); Grace Venagro (6 saves). -1 -0