Spalding girls soccer rolling
Cavaliers beat Perry Hall, Arundel as young team maintains momentum
With a relatively new squad, returning just five starters from a year ago, the Archbishop Spalding girls soccer team is building a defensive-minded team that creates opportunities starting with its back line.
The Cavaliers, just 24 hours after defeating Perry Hall on Tuesday, used that mentality to dispatch Arundel, 4-1, on Wednesday in Gambrills.
Junior midfielder Sophie Thibeault tallied a pair of goals, one in each half, while junior defender Emma Dean and sophomore midfielder Gabrielle Wisbeck added solo goals for Spalding (5-0). Arundel (0-3) did accomplish something no other opponent had so far this season against the Cavaliers — score a goal.
“We obviously would have liked the shutout and to keep that standard, but it was important for us that we had a response to that action,” Spalding coach Ashly Kennedy said. “For this team, it was a great learning curve and a great experience, especially in a game situation. My most important thing was that the girls adjusted the way that they should have.”
In the 26th minute, Thibeault took a pass from junior defender Adriane Skelton and chipped it past Arundel senior goalkeeper Layla Tyus for the game’s first goal.
With under a minute to play before intermission, Dean made it 2-0 by taking a pass from sophomore defender Maria Cipolla and finishing into the net.
The host Wildcats, despite being outshot 12-1 in the opening 40 minutes, trimmed the deficit in half in the 47th minute on a goal by sophomore midfielder Julia Kozdras. But the Cavaliers answered back five minutes later when Wisbeck converted a pass from senior midfielder Reagan Mallia to make the score 3-1.
Thibeault added an insurance goal in the 65th minute off a corner kick started by Wisbeck.
“We’re a really fresh, new squad. I think it’s important to establish a balance of those competitive games where we are getting pushed and tested,” Kennedy said. “But at the same time we’re playing teams that also
give us opportunities and confidence. The balance of both has helped over the past five games that we’ve played.
“We err toward stronger [competition] because that is what is going to help prep us for the season, hoping that within some of those games we are generating full scoring opportunities and building our confidence,” Kennedy added.
The defenders that made their presence known for the Cavaliers were Skelton, Wisbeck, Cipplla, junior Emma Coyne and freshman Bridget Boscolo, along with senior goalkeeper Emma Murray and junior Emma Faulkner.
It has been tough sledding for the new coaching staff at Arundel, but head coach Caitlin Rankin feels that the tough schedule that the Wildcats face can only bode well for the young squad with only three seniors.
“The first half of our schedule is extremely difficult and we want them to be prepared for the regular season,” Rankin said. “We have a new coaching staff and a really good group of girls. We’ve just honed in on working hard, hustle everywhere, generate things, do the little things right and this type of game will prepare them for that.”
Tyus, who had 18 shots fly in her direction, made five saves for Arundel.